Latest news with #Trutch
Vancouver Sun
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver's Trutch Street is now šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. Not everyone is happy
A round of applause erupted Tuesday in the gallery of Vancouver city council chambers, after the city officially adopted its first street name in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, the language of the Musqueam First Nation. But while the council vote on this first-of-its-kind change was unanimous, the sentiment outside of city hall was not. The Kitsilano road formerly known as Trutch Street is now legally šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, a name given to the city by the Musqueam First Nation. By Tuesday afternoon, the new name was showing up on Google maps, and new street signs are set to be unveiled within days. The city called the change 'a landmark moment' that will weave 'the display of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ into the public fabric of city life.' A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. For years, the Musqueam First Nation has called for removing the name of B.C.'s first lieutenant-governor, Joseph Trutch, from the street as a way to acknowledge the colonial politician's racist legacy and reduce the prominence of his name. The change stemmed from a vote by Vancouver's previous council in 2021. Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow spoke at council Tuesday, and thanked city staff for what he called 'reconciliation in action.' Some residents worry about practical implications of this change. And at least one other local First Nation is unhappy about the process. On Monday, the council of the Squamish First Nation sent a letter to Vancouver's mayor and council, urging them to withdraw the renaming proposal at the last minute. While Squamish council supported removing Trutch's name, they wrote, they were 'disappointed with the lack of proper consultation with the Squamish Nation on this project' and oppose the chosen name of šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. 'It is imperative that the city engage with the Squamish Nation on changes happening on our territory. The street in question is next to our ancestral village of Sen̓áḵw,' the Squamish council wrote. 'Proceeding with this name change in collaboration solely with Musqueam disregards the well-established and enduring connection the Squamish Nation has to this area.' Council also heard Tuesday from some of the people living in the roughly 100 addresses impacted by the change. Resident Gail Langton said she and her neighbours are 'in full agreement with getting rid of the Trutch name, given its terrible history,' and they support the name that they long believed was coming: 'Musqueamview,' spelled using the Latin alphabet. The people with the affected addresses were surprised last week, Langton said, to read in The Vancouver Sun that 'the legal name of the street will be solely šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street,' in keeping with the Musqueam Nation's wishes. Langton is nervous about real-world implications of making šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm the street's sole legal name, because many people can't pronounce it, and it can't be spelled by many systems, including Canada Post and Service Canada. The city has said that while šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm is the legal name, the English name of Musqueamview can 'be used while systems work to integrate multilingual characters.' It seems likely that will be the variation that most people speak and write for the foreseeable future. The city said it consulted with emergency service providers about the changer, and proposes to address safety concerns by installing two street signs on each post: one with 'šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm' and another with 'Musqueamview.' Langton worries that if someone used 'Musqueamview' in a legal document — like a will or a real estate transaction — it could be challenged or invalidated. She worries she might not be able to shop online or receive the delivery of packages. She hopes that other systems will accept 'Musqueamview' and these problems won't materialize. But she worries. Langton thinks it's a good thing, though, that the whole episode is teaching more Vancouverites about the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, and promoting dialogue. People can visit musqueamview to learn more about the renaming and hear the correct pronunciation of šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm. Trying something new is often difficult. Several municipal staff members could be heard Tuesday chatting inside city hall about how the new street name would work in practice. There seem to still be some unanswered questions. Michelle Bryant-Gravelle, Vancouver's senior director of Indigenous relations, commented during Tuesday's meeting that city staff learned a lot throughout this process. 'Any time you do something for the first time, it's a process,' she said. dfumano@
Global News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Vancouver's Trutch Street to officially change to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm
Vancouver City Council is set to vote on Tuesday on adopting a new Musqueam name for Trutch Street in Kitsilano. The street is named after Joseph Trutch, B.C.'s first lieutenant-governor whose policies inflicted harm on First Nations people. City councillors asked the Musqueam Indian Band to choose a replacement after voting to rename the street in 2021. The Nation gifted the name šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm, which is Musqueamview in the Musqueam Indian Band's hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language. 1:58 Vandals put 'Truth' in Trutch Street ahead of official name change Trutch Street runs between 18th and 1st Avenues on the city's west side in the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam people. Story continues below advertisement Trutch, who arrived in the province in 1859 and became B.C.'s chief commissioner of land and works in the 1860s, was considered an extreme racist. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to the Musqueam Indian Band, Trutch was openly hostile to First Nations, denied the existence of Aboriginal rights, and did not recognize previously established Indian Reserves, resulting in reserves shrinking throughout the province. The Musqueamview name will debut on the street on June 20.
CBC
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Vancouver's Trutch Street set to officially be renamed following council vote
Social Sharing A street in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood will soon be officially renamed in what members of the Musqueam Indian Band call a step forward for reconciliation. Trutch Street will be called Musqueamview Street in English and šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm in the Musqueam Indian Band's hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language. It comes after a unanimous vote by city council in July 2021 to replace the name of the street, located between Blenheim and Balaclava streets on the city's west side. Musqueamview Street runs 16 blocks, with its northern apex near the water at Jericho Beach, and the southern end near Carnarvon Park. Its hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ name is pronounced "sh-muck-wi-um-awe-sum." The street — originally named after Joseph Trutch, B.C.'s first lieutenant-governor — was renamed because of Trutch's racist policies against Indigenous people, including drastically reducing the size of reserves and refusing to let Indigenous people purchase land from non-Indigenous people. Vancouver city council will rubberstamp the renaming after a council vote on Tuesday, with city staff making the recommendation to change the name to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm — a name gifted to the city by the Musqueam Indian Band in September 2022. Larry Grant, an elder and the manager of the band's language and culture department, said that the renaming comes as Canada tries to work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. "It's really, really important that our young ones that are coming up behind [us] to understand our language has some meaning ... and it brings forward community pride," he said. "So that's really my hope for all." Grant and the Musqueam Indian Band worked alongside the city to implement the changes, and the elder said that there would be storyboards along the largely residential street talking about Trutch and why the street was once named after him. "We did not want to completely erase his name ... but also keep history in focus, so that people would understand why the name was changed," he said. Vanessa Campbell, another member of the Musqueam language and culture department, said the band's members were very excited and honoured by the change, especially given there are no fluent speakers of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language left. She acknowledged that hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ orthography may be a new sight for some Vancouverites. "We're going to make sure that there's lots of different types of educational materials so that you can learn in any way that makes you feel most comfortable," she said. Some systems can't display new name In the report to city council on Tuesday, city staff said it had sought input from first responders on the name change, given it has been in the works for years. It found that emergency responders, city systems and even agencies like Canada Post and ICBC had trouble displaying the new name. In those instances, the city says the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ name will be used where possible. "Those that cannot will use the name 'Musqueamview [Street]' with a footnote wherever possible stating 'Musqueamview [Street] is a translated name available for use while colonial systems work to accept multilingual characters,'" the report says. The city said the change will impact 100 unique addresses on the street. Vancouver resident Verity Livingstone told CBC News on Monday that she was in favour of the renaming. "I think history marches forward and, therefore, we should all be cognizant of of the fact it's time for change," Livingstone said. "And if we can come up with a name that respects the history of this place, I think we should use it." Streets and institutions around B.C. that were named for Trutch have been renamed in the wake of the reappraisal of his racist and colonizing legacy. In Victoria, what was once Trutch Street is now səʔit Street, pronounced say-eet.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Welcome to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street: Vancouver's newest street name is also its first using alphabet other than English
Vancouver's newest street name is set to be the city's first officially named in an alphabet other than English: šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. The new name, which comes from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language of the Musqueam First Nation, will replace Trutch Street on Vancouver's West Side if city council approves a staff report at a meeting next week. The report says the Musqueam First Nation has long advocated for removing the name of B.C.'s first lieutenant-governor, Joseph Trutch, from the street as a way to 'acknowledge Trutch's racist legacy, reduce the prominence of his name, and advance reconciliation efforts.' Trutch denied the existence of Inidegnous rights and reduced the size of reserve lands, the city website says, and the politician is now 'acknowledged as being openly racist and hostile to First Nation Peoples.' In July 2021, Vancouver's then-mayor Kennedy Stewart proposed removing the Trutch name and choosing another picked by the Musqueam chief and council, a move that was unanimously supported by council. In September 2022, the Musqueam Nation, or xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, provided the name 'šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street,' which translated into English as 'Musqueamview Street.' Some Vancouver neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and the Punjabi Market, have street signs featuring other languages along with the official street name, such as Pender or Main Street. The difference in the new proposal would be that šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm will be the street's sole official name. 'In accordance with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm wishes, the legal name of the street will be solely šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, making this Vancouver's first street named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓,' the city report says. 'With no fluent speakers left, this change is a landmark moment for the revitalization of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm language, weaving the display of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ into the public fabric of city life.' Because this is the first Vancouver street named in an alphabet other than English, the city requested input from several entities, including the city's legal department, Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, B.C. Emergency Health Services, and others. Emergency service providers raised concerns about 'way-finding and ease of pronunciation for callers in distress on the street,' the report states. To address these concerns, city staff recommended posting two street signs on each post along the street, one with 'šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm St.' and another below with 'Musqueamview St.' In 2022, the City of Victoria also changed all of its Trutch Street signs to Su'it Street, which means 'truth' for the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. If council approves the staff report next week, the new šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street signs are scheduled to be officially revealed at an event on June 20 at St. James Community Square. dfumano@ Trutch Street signs remain in Vancouver almost four years after decolonization vote Vancouver and Victoria councils to consider renaming Trutch Street in their cities
Vancouver Sun
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Welcome to šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street: Vancouver's newest street name is also its first using alphabet other than English
Vancouver's newest street name is set to be the city's first officially named in an alphabet other than English: šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street. The new name, which comes from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language of the Musqueam First Nation, will replace Trutch Street on Vancouver's West Side if city council approves a staff report at a meeting next week. The report says the Musqueam First Nation has long advocated for removing the name of B.C.'s first lieutenant-governor, Joseph Trutch, from the street as a way to 'acknowledge Trutch's racist legacy, reduce the prominence of his name, and advance reconciliation efforts.' Trutch denied the existence of Inidegnous rights and reduced the size of reserve lands, the city website says, and the politician is now 'acknowledged as being openly racist and hostile to First Nation Peoples.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In July 2021, Vancouver's then-mayor Kennedy Stewart proposed removing the Trutch name and choosing another picked by the Musqueam chief and council, a move that was unanimously supported by council. In September 2022, the Musqueam Nation, or xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, provided the name ' šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street ,' which translated into English as 'Musqueamview Street.' Some Vancouver neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and the Punjabi Market, have street signs featuring other languages along with the official street name, such as Pender or Main Street. The difference in the new proposal would be that šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm will be the street's sole official name. 'In accordance with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm wishes, the legal name of the street will be solely šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street, making this Vancouver's first street named in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓,' the city report says. 'With no fluent speakers left, this change is a landmark moment for the revitalization of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm language, weaving the display of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ into the public fabric of city life.' Because this is the first Vancouver street named in an alphabet other than English, the city requested input from several entities, including the city's legal department, Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, B.C. Emergency Health Services, and others. Emergency service providers raised concerns about 'way-finding and ease of pronunciation for callers in distress on the street,' the report states. To address these concerns, city staff recommended posting two street signs on each post along the street, one with 'šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm St.' and another below with 'Musqueamview St.' In 2022, the City of Victoria also changed all of its Trutch Street signs to Su'it Street, which means 'truth' for the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. If council approves the staff report next week, the new šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street signs are scheduled to be officially revealed at an event on June 20 at St. James Community Square. dfumano@
