Protesters urge Calgary Board of Education to drop Sir John A. Macdonald's name from school

Protesters gathered Tuesday outside the Calgary Board of Education's headquarters, reiterating a call for the removal of Sir John A. Macdonald's name from a junior high school in the city's northwest. 

Roughly 20 protesters held signs and put up red tape, which, they said, was meant to signify the board's inaction on addressing systemic racism.

The Reconciliation Action Group, which organized the protest, also demanded that the "Chief" mascot at John G. Diefenbaker High School be changed. 

Her school's name, she said, is harmful to many students and community members. 

"I want these changes so that everybody feels welcome and nobody feels left out," she said. 

Last May, CBE said it would form a committee to review the name of the school, noting the complex history attached to the Macdonald name. Since then, there's been no update on the process. 

As a historical figure, Macdonald played a central role in creating the Canadian Confederation and served as Canada's first prime minister. 

While he is considered one of the country's founding fathers, his legacy is marked by his treatment of Indigenous people and the development of the residential school system.

Michelle Robinson, with the Reconciliation Action Group, said changing the school's name is an easy, performative step the board should have already taken. 

"If you're not interested in stopping systemic racism, if you're not putting your energy and effort toward … stopping systemic racism, then you're actually enabling racism," she said. "You're on the side of the bad, the wrong side of history."

Laura Hack, the CBE board chair, released a statement Tuesday, saying the board has taken significant steps over the last few years to address systemic racism and promote inclusion. 

WATCH | Protesters call on the CBE to change the name of Sir John A. Macdonald School:

Protestors urge the CBE to drop the name of Sir John A. Macdonald from the junior high school

2 years ago

Duration 0:57

People gathered outside of the CBE headquarters in downtown Calgary on Tuesday, calling on the school board to change the name of the school named after Canada’s first prime minister.

"We recognize more needs to be done, and we are listening and learning so we can continue to do better," she said.

According to CBE officials, decisions on the names of schools or mascots are made on the local level and in consultation with the community. 

Patrick Flynn, a lone counter-protester who demonstrated outside the CBE headquarters Tuesday, wore a sign that called Macdonald a Canadian "hero."

Flynn said he attended John A. Macdonald School and grew up in the community where it was built. While he acknowledged Macdonald was a flawed man whose policies were detrimental to the Indigenous community, he also said Macdonald was a great leader. 

"You cannot forget history, and you particularly can't wipe his name off of the side of a school," Flynn said. 

To Robinson, who identifies as Sahtu Dene, Flynn's demonstration highlights why it's important CBE do more to address systemic racism. 

"We're speaking English on Blackfoot territory," Robinson said. "Most folks don't know the Treaty 7 signatories. So it just shows how much the CBE is actually helping to perpetuate white supremacy and racism by not addressing systemic racism and doing Indigenous education."