Hundreds sign petition to rename McPherson Avenue, suggest Métis fiddler John Arcand

Hundreds of people in Saskatoon are joining calls for the city to rename a street in honour of a Métis fiddler.

Like many living on McPherson Avenue, Erin O’Connor hadn’t thought much about the street’s name. It was only last week when she learned it’s named after David Lewis MacPherson, an interior cabinet minister under Sir John A. MacDonald.

“I was extremely outraged,” O’Connor said of when she learned the namesake of her neighbourhood.

A Whitecap Dakota First Nation researcher said MacPherson is responsible for mistreating Métis people, citing it as a cause of the Northwest Resistance, also known as the Northwest Rebellion. While MacPherson’s name is misspelled on the street signs, the city confirmed the street was likely named after him.

“I realized there might actually be something I can do about it to help mitigate the damage done by not living on a street honoured to him.”

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O’Connor has started an online petition, calling for the street to be renamed in honour of famous Saskatchewan Métis fiddler John Arcand.

“I think honouring a Métis person would be a great way to, if not undo the damage caused by this fellow, at least try to mitigate it somewhat,” she said.

The petition follows calls to rename the street made to the city’s civic naming committee on March 9. Coun. Mairin Loewen sits on the committee.

“Some residents have contacted me to say ‘While we’re talking about this here’s some other names and figures that I think should be revalued,’” she said.

“I expect (the committee) will have more requests like this, I don’t expect it will be completely overwhelming.”

The city is far from renaming McPherson Avenue. Meanwhile, John Arcand said he is surprised by the enthusiasm.

“I’m humbled by it,” he told Global News over the phone. “As long as it don’t hurt anybody, I guess it’s alright.”

As of noon Monday the petition had more than 450 signatures.

Right now city administration is looking at how other cities have renamed streets under these circumstances. It will report the findings to the city’s naming committee at its next meeting this summer, where the decision on whether to rename McPherson street could be made.

Anyone with ideas for name changes can submit them through the city’s website.

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