I’ve just read that Toronto city council plans to vote to rename the major thoroughfare Dundas Street and other locations named after the 18th-century politician Henry Dundas. The reason apparently is that someone discovered that Henry Dundas was a Scottish politician who delayed Britain’s abolition of slavery by 15 years. Now, having lived in Toronto for the majority of my young life, I would have never known the origin of the name for Dundas Street. I’m certain that, even today, the vast majority of Torontonians do not know anything about Henry Dundas.
Now it’s one thing to remove statues of major historical figures such as John A. McDonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, but it’s quite another to start renaming major thoroughfares in cities. Can you imagine the costs associated with such initiatives at a time when urban centers are starting to reopen following the costly pandemic. Toronto’s city council has suggested that the city also plans to make room in its budget to support people and businesses affected by the change, otherwise taxpayers. You would think that they have other more important issues to spend money on, such as increasing affordable housing, fixing aging infrastructures and improving social and health care services.
As in most countries, historically local governments often chose to name streets and municipal properties after people, sometimes based on historical connections. For example, I lived near Bathurst Street in Toronto — a major north-south thoroughfare — which apparently was named for Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst, who was also a member of the British Parliament during colonial times, and who like Henry Dundas had never once visited Canada. I never knew this and really couldn’t have cared less! I’m certain that if someone did a deep dive into Henry Bathurst’s history as an 18th-century British colonial politician, they would probably find something to object to.
The Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, declared that the “names of our public streets, parks, and monuments are a reflection of our values as Torontonians.” While I recognize his sentiments, I cannot but think that this is a political ploy to satisfy a small group of persons at the expense of the rest of us. Can you imagine all the small businesses and other organizations along Dundas Street or Bathurst Street which would have to bear the expenses associated with changing their business and mailing addresses? Should the motion go through, one can only ask whether this is one incidence or whether this is just the beginning of a ridiculous trend across North America? Indeed, this could represent a dangerous and costly precedent, going from the ridiculous to the surreal!
FROLITICKS 
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