No change to city’s name, but Vaughan civic holiday now honours anti-slavery advocate

Vaughan named after British diplomat Benjamin Vaughan, who owned slaves

Yorkregion.com
June 18, 2020
Dina Al-Shibeeb

After Vaughan residents discovered that their city is named after a man who owned slaves, some mulled whether the name should be changed.

However, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua emphasized that the city wasn’t built by Benjamin Vaughan.

It’s the "hard-working people who come from all over the world, who have a lot of respect for each other and live in a very safe community, irrespective of their cultural background", who made the city the way it is today, he added.

Vaughan council also decided on June 16 to change the name of its August civic holiday, known as Benjamin Vaughan Day since 2014, to honour John Graves Simcoe -- the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada and a leading proponent of the Act Against Slavery.

Vaughan named August holiday after slaveowner, but that may not be city’s only problem with race

"I want to recognize my Council colleagues for coming together to unanimously support my member’s resolution calling for the August civic holiday ... to be renamed," Bevilacqua said in a public statement.

"I know that the ongoing solidarity against racial injustice continues to be a fundamental priority for our city. We are working closely with residents, community organizations, and other levels of government to address the issue of anti-Black racism."

Naming the civic holiday after Simcoe, meanwhile, is a U-turn decision.

In December 2013, Vaughan council decided to stop calling the day "Simcoe Day" to honour British diplomat Vaughan instead.

'FIRST-EVER CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER'

The mayor also announced how council has taken "another important step forward by requesting that staff immediately develop a plan that would lead to the creation of the city’s first-ever chief diversity officer".

"This position would have a mandate responsible for fostering a culture of inclusion, diversity and excellence throughout the corporation," Bevilacqua said. "As part of this new undertaking, we will further review best practices in both public and private-sector organizations."

The news comes amid allegations of systemic discrimination against the Black community. The city is currently facing a human rights complaint from the Vaughan African Canada Association, which alleges the community faces "anti-Black racism and discrimination from city staff, and councillors". The complaint is ongoing.

The mayor, a councillor and two city staff members are also facing a $25-million lawsuit for cancelling a Caribbean cultural festival in 2019 as it was underway. The lawsuit, which is ongoing, asks courts to impose "mandatory cultural competence and anti-racism training for all city of Vaughan employees, servants, agents and representatives".

The mayor, however, remains hopeful.

"We will continue moving our city forward without leaving anyone behind," he said.

"It is incumbent upon each of us to stand up and take meaningful action against injustice and inequality. I remain hopeful that, collectively, we can and will do better."

'SICK TO MY STOMACH': RESIDENTS REACT

"I’m sure many people like me didn’t know the history of Benjamin Vaughan, but now that I know it, it’s very disturbing, and kind of makes me sick to my stomach as to who we’re named after," Richard Lorello, a Vaughan resident, said.

When asked if the city should change its name, Lorello said, "I think we should look at it".

"I think we, out of respect for all the groups and Vaughan, I think that it should be looked at whether it results in a name change," he said. "History is history. We can’t do anything about that, but, you know, the actions we take now will speak volumes in how we feel about these things."

On June 13, Lorello, a Vaughan citizen known for his political discourse engagement, unleashed a slew of tweets on the history of the city he greatly adores.

Lorello dug deeper into archive files after reading an earlier story about how Russell Township was named after a slave owner.

The Jamaica-born Vaughan wasn’t only a slave owner, but Lorello also found a speech he gave on April 2, 1792, opposing the emancipation of slaves because the "planters would be ruined by it".

SHOULD NAME HONOUR INDIGENOUS PERSON?

However, there are others who feel that any changes, including that of the civic holiday, should focus more on Indigenous Canadian names, not Simcoe, a white abolitionist.

"I know it’s very costly to rename a city, but it’s also important to remember people that history has seemingly forgotten,” said Safeena Jabar, a Vaughan resident who believes the city should be renamed.

"The way that history is written, it’s often done so by the people who are winners ... the colonial history of Canada was obviously written by the European victors, and along with that, these figures who helped champion for the country as it is today are being commemorated.

“However, the not-so-nice things that they’ve done are being kind of swept under the rug, so to speak."

Gurneet Dhami, another Vaughan resident, also believes any new names should revolve around Indigenous figures.

"There’s so many changes that have to happen in Canada and everywhere in the world that’s been colonized," Dhami said.

However, Dhami doesn’t think the city will change its name, citing expensive hurdles, such as rebranding.

It’s not unprecedented to see an Ontario city change its name.

Berlin officially became Kitchener in 1916 in the midst of the First World War to prove loyalty to Canada and the Crown and escape backlash against a city with deep German roots.