

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





An Indigenous student at Ryerson University is suggesting that instead ofbearing the name of the man who created the concept behind the residential school system, the university’s name be changed to an Indigenous word or something reflective of “urban life.”

Sarah Dennis of the Indigenous Students Association at Ryerson told CP24 that the name Ryerson, belonging to Egerton Ryerson who is credited with advocating for universal public education in Ontario, is painful to Indigenous students.

“Egerton Ryerson represents a very negative part of our history – he was creator of the blueprint of the residential school system that had a very significant impact on Indigenous people in Canada,” Dennis, a social work student, told CP24 on Thursday.

Between 1883 and 1996, an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to leave their families and attend schools throughout the country. Estimates by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada have suggested that thousands of children may have died in the care of the schoolsand allegations of physical and sexual abuse ran rampant.

Dennis says those facts should convince the University to choose a different name, and perhaps remove a statue of the man, who died in 1882, from the grounds of campus.

“It’s definitely not a harmful thing to do,” Dennis said.

Instead, Dennis says the school should rename itself “something in a local indigenous language or something that represents components of urban life here in Toronto.”

She said renaming the school is a minimum expectation and is reflective of the times we live in.

“It’s in alignment with honouring the first people who contributed to this society being here in such a successful way.”

Last month Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the Langevin federal office block in downtown Ottawa be renamed, as Hector-Louis Langevin, a Macdonald-era MP, was a central proponent of the residential school system.

Dennis said school officials are set to discuss the demand with Indigenous students and union leaders this month.

She said anyone who opposes the idea is “just going to have to get over it."