Trutch Avenue in Chilliwack will be getting a new street name that doesnB次元官网网址檛 glorify a racist figure from B.C.B次元官网网址檚 colonial past.
City of Chilliwack will be removing street-name recognition for Joseph W. Trutch, who became the provinceB次元官网网址檚 first lieutenant-governor in 1871.
TrutchB次元官网网址檚 legacy was demeaning First Nations people, refusing to recognize their rights and title, and effectively displacing them from their traditional lands.
Chilliwack council voted at the June 15 meeting to rename Trutch Avenue with a name of Indigenous significance, after receiving a request from Squiala Chief David Jimmie, president of the St贸l艒 ChiefsB次元官网网址� Council.
The staff report explained the move is in keeping with a B次元官网网址渟trategic goalB次元官网网址� of council B次元官网网址渢o support truth and reconciliation through building relationships of mutual respect and understandingB次元官网网址� with local First Nations.
B次元官网网址淎s part of this commitment, the City (of Chilliwack) currently has the opportunity to review and rename a street name.B次元官网网址�
City of Vancouver and City of Victoria have debated similar requests to rename their own streets that carry the name Trutch.
Chief JimmieB次元官网网址檚 request to Chilliwack council mentioned B次元官网网址渢he harmB次元官网网址� associated with the Chilliwack street name Trutch, which is a small street of 16 properties, off Ashwell Road.
In a letter dated June 23, 1850, on the topic of Indians, from the Joseph Trutch Papers at the UBC Library, Trutch wrote to his wife, Charlotte: B次元官网网址淚 think they are the ugliest and laziest creatures I ever saw and we should as soon think of being afraid of our dogs as of them.B次元官网网址�
Trutch became chief commissioner of lands and works in 1864, and helped smooth B.C.B次元官网网址檚 entry into confederation in 1871 with the promise of building the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In 1867, Trutch sent a letter to the Acting Colonial Secretary: B次元官网网址淭he Indians really have no right to the lands they claim, nor are they of any actual value or utility to them,B次元官网网址� according to research conducted by Graham MacDonnell, of Fraser Valley Heritage Research Services.
That same year, according to MacDonnellB次元官网网址檚 research, Trutch B次元官网网址渞efused to recognize the legitimacy of the reservesB次元官网网址� that had been established by former Lieutenant-Governor James Douglas, and had them re-surveyed, reducing their size by 91 per cent.
Several members of council said this week that given TrutchB次元官网网址檚 actions on the land question, they didnB次元官网网址檛 think he B次元官网网址渄eservedB次元官网网址� the recognition of a street name.
Coun. Jason Lum described the effort as B次元官网网址渁n opportunity to educate ourselvesB次元官网网址� on why City of Chilliwack would go so far as to take the unusual step of renaming a street.
B次元官网网址淚 hope the residents of that street B次元官网网址� and thereB次元官网网址檚 only a few of them B次元官网网址� understand the process weB次元官网网址檙e following and why,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Bud Mercer during the council discussion. B次元官网网址淚 hope they embrace this initiative for what it is, which is doing exactly the right thing.B次元官网网址�
City officials will be sending letters to residents affected by the street name change, and will be consulting with Chief Jimmie on some suggested names of significance to local Indigenous communities.
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