To: Mississauga City Council
Rename Winston Churchill Blvd.
This past weekend, Mississauga has seen protests against police brutality and racial injustice even gathering right up in from of Mississauga City Hall, at Celebration Square. Mississauga City Council has a chance to take a constructive step in distancing itself from persons in history that have contributed to and supported white supremacy and systemic racism.
We are asking Mississauga City Council begin a public process to rename Winston Churchill Blvd.
We also encourage that Brampton City Council and the Councils of the Town of Halton Hills, Town of Caledon, Town of Erin, Town of East Garafraxa do the same, as the road runs through all six towns and cities.
We ask that all six Councils begin a public and transparent process of renaming the road in honour of a person, place, or event that is appropriate, relevant, and inclusive to all of us.
The process of renaming should be led jointly by city councillors and black and other minority lead organizations to come up with a list of potential names.
We are asking Mississauga City Council begin a public process to rename Winston Churchill Blvd.
We also encourage that Brampton City Council and the Councils of the Town of Halton Hills, Town of Caledon, Town of Erin, Town of East Garafraxa do the same, as the road runs through all six towns and cities.
We ask that all six Councils begin a public and transparent process of renaming the road in honour of a person, place, or event that is appropriate, relevant, and inclusive to all of us.
The process of renaming should be led jointly by city councillors and black and other minority lead organizations to come up with a list of potential names.
Why is this important?
Winston Churchill, despite his achievements including the liberation of Europe from tyranny, was also a British imperialist and white supremacist.
His mishandling of the Bengal famine of 1943-1944 resulted in the deaths of 3 million people. He did not see the benefits of relief efforts and blamed the famine on the Indians themselves because, as per his own words, they “bred like rabbits”.
He was a staunch supporter of British imperialism believing it was good for the “primitive” and “subject races”.
He had referred to Palestinians as “barbaric hordes who ate little but camel dung”.
He had promoted the use of poison gas against Kurds and Afghans during his role as minister of for war and air in 1919 where he said he was "strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes,"
In 1937 he said: “I do not admit, for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to those people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, or, at any rate, a more worldly wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.”
There are many more unmentioned instances that make Winston Churchill an undoubtedly problematic character of history. His actions against the Third Reich do not absolve his actions elsewhere and we must be impartial in our judgement.
As residents of Mississauga, we take pride in our city's cultural diversity. We believe in cultural tolerance and equality. Our street names need to reflect that as well.
There have been calls and demonstrations in the UK for the dismantling of statues of Winston Churchill. We can do our part in removing his name from one of our most frequented street.
His mishandling of the Bengal famine of 1943-1944 resulted in the deaths of 3 million people. He did not see the benefits of relief efforts and blamed the famine on the Indians themselves because, as per his own words, they “bred like rabbits”.
He was a staunch supporter of British imperialism believing it was good for the “primitive” and “subject races”.
He had referred to Palestinians as “barbaric hordes who ate little but camel dung”.
He had promoted the use of poison gas against Kurds and Afghans during his role as minister of for war and air in 1919 where he said he was "strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes,"
In 1937 he said: “I do not admit, for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to those people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, or, at any rate, a more worldly wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.”
There are many more unmentioned instances that make Winston Churchill an undoubtedly problematic character of history. His actions against the Third Reich do not absolve his actions elsewhere and we must be impartial in our judgement.
As residents of Mississauga, we take pride in our city's cultural diversity. We believe in cultural tolerance and equality. Our street names need to reflect that as well.
There have been calls and demonstrations in the UK for the dismantling of statues of Winston Churchill. We can do our part in removing his name from one of our most frequented street.
