Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says the name of Jeffery Amherst is going to disappear from the city’s map.
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Amherst Street is named after the British general who supported giving smallpox-laced blankets to the Indigenous people living here in the 1700s.
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Coderre made the announcement Wednesday, which is the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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Earlier in the day, he also said Montreal is redesigning its flag and coat of arms by adding a white pine tree to reflect Indigenous contributions to the city.
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The new coat of arms and flag still includes the Fleur-de-lis, the thistle, the rose and the shamrock, which represent the other peoples who founded and developed Montreal.
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The white pine tree was chosen by an advisory committee designated by the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.
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It was comprised of members from various First Nations as well as a representative from the Centre d’histoire de Montreal.
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