Unfortunately, the ancestors of those residents still defend that name. Below is an interview from a resident defending the name.

"It was meant to describe the people who died," LeBlanc said. "There was no pejorative connotation then as there is now."

LeBlanc said that no formal request by residents has been made to change the name of the rapids but that the commission is considering whether it should rename all 11 sites that include the racial slur.

Claire Hamel, who lives near the rapids, said the official name is not a source of controversy among locals.

"Nobody talks about this," she said. "It's the name, that's it. Like Bouchette, like Maniwaki, like Ottawa."

Bouchette Mayor Réjean Major told Radio-Canada he has no intention of asking the commission to change the name of the rapids.”

I’m surprised that the journalist did not press the resident. It’s clear that the name of the rapids are not like “Bouchette” or “Maniwaki.” These are emotionless slurs that were racist then and are racist now.

Anyways, you can clearly see these examples in sites like “Negro Point” in Saint John’s which was named after the Hodges family. A family of Black loyalists. Or ‘Negro Brook’ which was renamed ‘Harriet O’Ree Road’ after a Black woman who lived nearby.

The other sites on the list come from similar sources. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to learn about who the sites are named after due to their full name - and thus their stories - being robbed from our history.

What did Black people think about this practice?

John Ware, mentioned above, was a famous Albertan cowboy. He was born into slavery and worked in a ranch once he gained freedom. Ware used this opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become a rancher. He eventually drove 3,000 cattles into Southern Alberta and established his own ranch.

His life story is amazing and you can read more here:

However, to White Calgarians, he was known as ‘Nigger John.’ This was not a name that John Ware preferred despite myths spread by the White residents. Below is an excerpt from Cheryl Foggo describing how John Ware felt about this word

To Calgarians he was known as “Nigger John.” The myth that he accepted the name, to his face, as a term of affection persists to this day. In 1960, after decades of enduring several landmarks in the Brooks area being named “Nigger John,” two of his children, Bob and Nettie, wrote letters, cajoled and finally worked the media in order to remove the offending word from the titles of the places named in his honour. “No one called my father ‘Nigger John’,” said Nettie. “Not to his face. The only time I saw someone do it was in Calgary - and that man ended up in hospital. But Father paid his bill.”

Still, they chose to name a ridge after him called ‘Nigger John Ridge." A name that would last until 1970. In addition, a 4-H club existed called the "Nigger John Club".