Kitimat council has tabled a motion to rename two streets associated with missionaries George Anderson and George Raley, figures instrumental in establishing a residential school in Kitamaat Village. The Haisla Nation, advocating for the change as part of reconciliation efforts, says the names represent lasting harm to their community.
Council initially delayed the deliberation at its Oct. 7 meeting to allow the mayor, who was absent, to participate in the decision. The Haisla Nation has since proposed that Kitimat council table the request again to provide an opportunity for Kitimat’s mayor, council members, and senior staff to meet with the Haisla council and senior staff.
“This meeting would provide an opportunity for both parties to enter into respectful discussion on the request and the impacts associated with the renaming,” read the Haisla request.
Councillor Michelle Martins, while respecting the Haisla’s wish for postponement, expressed frustration with past delays, saying there was a large contingent of Haisla representatives at the last meeting, some in regalia, and protracted discussion on the matter only causes more harm as old wounds are reopened. “The Haisla are showing us in many ways how important this renaming is to them, and it infuriates me that we are treating this matter with such a cavalier attitude,” Martins said, noting that the Haisla Nation submitted their original request over a year ago.
The streets in question are named after Anderson and Raley, missionaries involved in establishing the Elizabeth Long Memorial Residential School in Kitamaat Village. According to Angie Silvestre, Cultural and Language Manager for the Haisla Nation, both men played significant roles in suppressing Haisla culture and taking sacred artifacts. Anderson, who arrived in British Columbia in the late 19th century, is accused of isolating Indigenous children by falsely declaring them orphans and placing them in the Anderson Home. He also married a Haisla girl, Rhoda Amos, aged 12 to 14, who died during childbirth. Anderson further hindered Haisla land claims. Raley, who arrived in 1893, condemned traditional Haisla practices and urged the destruction of cultural items, many of which he kept for personal gain. His actions, along with his imposition of Christian values on Indigenous children, contributed to long-term cultural loss.
The proposed new street names, náusda and núyem, reflect Haisla values of active listening and communal ways of knowing. These names were chosen to honour Haisla traditions and help repair the cultural damage done by colonialism.
The request to rename Anderson and Raley streets is part of the Haisla Nation’s effort to address the legacy of residential schools and the damage these missionaries inflicted on their community. In their appeal, Haisla representatives underscored the names' connection to colonialism and the historical trauma experienced by their people. They emphasized that changing these names is a step toward recognition and healing.
In written letters and during public comments, Kitimat residents voiced their support for reconciliation, though not all were fully in favour of the renaming. While no one outright opposed the Haisla’s request, two residents raised concerns about the cost and inconvenience of updating addresses. “We recognise the importance of reconciliation,” one resident wrote, “but ask council to explore other ways of honouring Haisla heritage, like giving Haisla names to new streets instead of changing the existing ones.” Another resident added that they were “not opposed to Haisla names but concerned about the costs and complications involved with address changes.”
Council will reconvene on the matter following discussions between Kitimat and Haisla representatives.
