In N.L., nothing ‘peaceful’ about lake name change

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. • A push to change the offensive name of a Newfoundland lake began with apparent plans for public consultation but ended in a flood of angry emails and a government about-face, emails show.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced on April 21 it was renaming Red Indian Lake to Wantaqo’ti Qospem, which means “peaceful lake” in the Mi’kmaq language. But the government reversed its decision within a week, citing public discontent.

“What right is there to name any traditional Beothuk territory using a Mi’kmaq, Inuit, Innu or Métis name? Indigenous nations are not interchangeable,” said one email to the government on April 22.

“I am L’nu (Mi’kmaw) and very proud of my nation ... Indigenous people, especially local Mi’kmaw people, are finding themselves the target of hateful comments and backlash because of this decision.” The sender’s name was redacted.

The note was among nearly 170 pages of emails obtained from the province following an access to information request by The Canadian Press for all correspondence about the lake’s name in the past year.

Red Indian Lake sits in the central-western interior of Newfoundland, about 530 kilometres northwest of St. John’s.

The Beothuk people, who were among the island’s original inhabitants, hunted and overwintered on its shores.

The last Beothuk is believed to have died in 1829. Last year, the remains of two Beothuk people, Nonosabasut and Demasduit, were returned to the province from a museum in Scotland.