Taking the battle to the streets
Mi’kmaq elder vows to rename Cornwallis Street in Sydney; suggests road be named for Donald Marshall Jr.
SYDNEY— A Membertou First Nation elder is promising that the sign marking Cornwallis Street in Sydney is coming down one way or another.
On Sunday, Danny Paul arrived at the corner of Cornwallis and Columbia streets with the announced intent of removing the sign displaying the street named for Edward Cornwallis, the 18th-century British general who, as governor of Nova Scotia, offered bounties for the scalps of Mi’kmaq people in an effort to eradicate them from the colony
“I don’t want my grandchildren asking me someday why this monster’s name is still up in the city after all the atrocities he has committed, so it’s not right for them to grow up asking me why he is being honoured, they shouldn’t have to ask that question,” said Paul, who arrived at the street with a ladder and crowbar.
“Why hasn’t somebody done something? Well, granddad is going to do something, he’s going to get that sign down, I’m taking it down, it has to come down.”
Paul said he chose Sunday because June 21 is National Indigenous People’s Day in Canada. Prior to 2018 it was known as National Aboriginal Day. He also cited the ongoing public unrest that flared after George Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, and the subsequent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Paul said those issues hit home as did the recent deaths of two Indigenous people in New Brunswick by police. He even showed up wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Don’t Shoot! I Don’t Have A Weapon” in acknowledge of such incidents that have been receiving national and international attention.
“I had to wear this because I knew there was going to be law enforcement here and with recent events in New Brunswick I wanted the police to know that I have no weapons and that I should not be shot for removing the sign and refusing to obey them,” said Paul.
He said it all adds to the fact that something must be done about public references to reviled historical figures such as Cornwallis.
“That name is synonymous with the barbaric treatment of not only the (Mi’kmaq) nation but the black people and the Scotch people — the atrocities he committed, not only here, but in Africa and in Scotland, are a reflection of the barbaric ways of this man and he should not be honoured,” declared Paul.
In Halifax, a statue of Cornwallis has already been removed from a downtown park, a school that once bore his name has been renamed and a church formerly called the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church also changed its name.
There was once an elementary school in Sydney called Cornwallis. It has long been decommissioned and has been refurbished into an apartment complex.
But Cornwallis Street is still Cornwallis Street and signs remain on the numerous street corners along the quiet residential road.
Paul didn’t take the sign down. At least not yet. Here’s what happened.
Soon after Paul parked his truck, a Cape Breton Regional Police Service officer arrived on the scene. Turns out police knew of Paul’s intent because he publicly stated he planned to do it in a social-media post. After a brief conversation, Paul agreed to await the arrival of Insp. Stephen MacKinnon. A short time later, after another chat, Paul announced that he had come to an agreement with MacKinnon.
The Membertou elder said he is willing to give officials with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality some time, but not too much time, to address the situation and rename the street.
“(MacKinnon) said he would bring my concerns to the chief of police and also to the municipal officials to have this street renamed,” said Paul, whose wife live-streamed the entire hour that he spent on the street chatting with police, supporters and members of the local news media.
“So we’ll give the police chief and the mayor and other municipal officials a chance to do the right thing.
“I even recommended a new name, Donald Marshall Jr. because of the contributions he made to entire nation and not just to our home community of Membertou. I think that would be the most appropriate name for this street.”
For the record, all of the interactions between Paul and member of the police service were cordial, polite and respectful. They even shared a few laughs.
“I think they support what I’m doing,” said Paul.
“This name will be changed one way or another.”