Supporters

The Macdonald-Cartier Society has discussed this matter with many prominent federal government and public historians, who are unanimous in opposing the proposal, but cannot voice their opinions publicly.

However, a number of other prominent Ottawans and other concerned Canadians have written to us, wanting to make their views known publicly. Here are some of them:

Dear Mr. Giulea,

Thank you for your recent email . I appreciate your interest in street naming issues – particularly Wellington Street.

To answer your question, yes, my position as previously stated remains the same. I do not support renaming Wellington Street in Ottawa.

Thanks again for asking and taking the time to write.

Jim Watson
Mayor
City of Ottawa

- Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa (email on April 7th 2011)

Hi Immanuel,
Thank you very much for your note. I agree with your comments and believe city council has more pressing matters to deal with other than changing street names.

I also don’t like the idea of attempting to change history for no valid reason.

Therefore, I would not support the name change if the matter is still not resolved by the time the new council takes office and if I have the honour of being Mayor. If the current Council changes the name before then, I will abide by that decision.

Thank you again for sharing your concern of this with me.

Sincerely,

Jim Watson
Candidate for Mayor of Ottawa

- Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa (email on July 11th 2010 as mayoral candidate)

“Wellington Street has been a part of the heritage of Ottawa since its founding in 1826 and was named by the founder of Bytown, Lt-Col. John By. It should be recalled that for financial reasons, the British authorities were largely opposed to the construction of the Rideau Canal. Thanks to the prestige and influence of the Duke of Wellington that the project was finally begun in 1826 under the supervision of John By, a qualified and appreciated engineer. In short, the National Capital Region (there is also a Wellington Street in Gatineau) owes a debt to the Duke of Wellington and it would be inappropriate to change the name of this historic street in Ottawa.”

- Michel Prévost, University of Ottawa Chief Archivist, University of Ottawa Archives and Président de la Société d’histoire de l’Outaouais

“I’m of the view that the Macdonald-Cartier bridge is already apparent, substantial and appropriate recognition for our first PM’s contribution to building the nation. It’s also a disservice to imply that Canada’s history starts on July 1st 1867. Wellington Street provides a real teachable moment in understanding how our nation’s capital came to be chosen. I think its wasted energy to try to define certain moments or historic figures as more Canadian than others. The real challenge is getting all Canadians to embrace the whole story as their own.”

- Deborah Morrison, Publisher, President & CEO, Canada’s National History Society

“I appreciate the position you have put forth and its deeply rooted historical good sense. I would strongly support your initiative to block this ‘movement’!”

- Bob Sneyd, author of “The Role of the Rideau Waterway, 1826-1856.”

“I fully support your campaign to oppose renaming Wellington Street.”

- Rudyard Griffiths, Founder, The Dominion Institute; Co-Organiser The Munk Debates

“Renaming the street would not only be to forget the duke but also his significance in Canada to the first world war, before which the Great War was the Napoleonic one. If it had not been for the former, there would have been a great celebration of Waterloo in 1915. If he had not, as Master of the Ordinance (commanding the military engineers as well as artillery), decided to build the Rideau canal system in order to move troops safely away from the US border in time of war, it is almost impossible that Ottawa would have been so important and chosen as the capital of Canada in 1867. This is well worth commemorating and even celebrating. The 160th anniversary of Wellington’s death occurs in 2012, the year that the British are celebrating the peninsular war (1808-14). At the end, many of his troops were sent to north America to fight the war of 1812; he might himself have come if he had not warned the British government that he should be kept in Europe until the peace was secure; if he had come he would not have been at that near run thing, the battle of Waterloo, which might have been a victory for Napoleon. For fifteen years after 1815 all the North American governors were appointed on his recommendation or support. He was an important figure in these colonies in his lifetime and long after, as was amply recognized to the end of the nineteenth century.”

- Neville Thompson, Professor Emeritus University of Western Ontario and author of “Wellington after Waterloo”

“I strongly agree with the views of your organization concerning the renaming of Wellington Street. This sort of intentional historical “forgetting” is Orwellian and deplorable.”

- Chris Kent, Professor (retired) University of Saskatchewan

“I wish to lend my support in opposition to the proposal to change the name of Wellington Street in Ottawa. There are simply too many pieces of evidence against the renaming of Wellington Street to even give the matter serious consideration. Indeed, a quick perusal of Ottawa and Canadian history would strongly lead all thoughtful citizens to the conclusion that the name “Wellington” should be maintained.”

- Nick Brune, Award-winning teacher, historian and textbook author

“Renaming Wellington Street encourages a truncated view of Canadian History. For a host of reasons, the Duke of Wellington was one respected across Europe and the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. Although he was born into a near bankrupt Anglo-Irish aristocratic family, and had some challenging setbacks early in his life, he rose to become an able diplomat as well as one of the most famous generals in history. For the generations of Victorians who settled in Canada, his fortitude in the face of adversity made him an inspiring role model.”

- Dr Belinda Beaton, Oxford, historian

“The rumbling that shook Ottawa on June 23, 2010, was not an earthquake. It was John A. Macdonald rolling in his grave at the suggestion that Wellington Street should be abolished and renamed in his honour. This city began as a military settlement to guard the Rideau Canal, and one of Colonel By’s first acts was to get his engineers to hack out a baseline for the city, and name it after his chief, the Duke of Wellington. All of Ottawa’s downtown streets radiate out from this first thoroughfare, and it would be tampering with history to pretend otherwise. Plamondon’s suggestion snuffs out real history – it is totally without merit.
Surely there are other options for honouring Sir John A. I support the Society’s proposal to rename the “Airport Parkway” as “Macdonald-Cartier Parkway”. As close political allies and the prominent leaders that helped to shape Confederation, it only makes sense to commemorate both Macdonald and Cartier together. We also have an utterly boring name for our “Government Conference Centre, which might also be a candidate for commemoration.”

- Dr Alastair Sweeny, Ottawa historian and writer; developer of the John A. Macdonald and George-Etienne Cartier web portals and author of George-Etienne Cartier, a Biography

“Wellington was instrumental in getting the Rideau Canal project off the ground – without him pushing for the project (he provided a strong recommendation to “canalize” the Ottawa / Rideau routes (as a secure military supply line from Montreal to Kingston) as early as 1819. It was under his tutelage that the Rideau Canal project was started in 1826. So, it can be said that without Wellington there might not have been a Rideau Canal – and without the Rideau Canal there likely wouldn’t have been a Bytown (Hull was already established and would have become the dominant urban centre).”

- Ken Watson, private citizen

The significance of what we have today lies with the Duke of Wellington, and his Napoleonic Wars Chief Engineer – Lt Col John By – whose success in building the Rideau Canal led to the foundation of Bytown and Ottawa. Had By’s Rideau Canal project failed, Canada’s capital may well have been Kingston. Had the Americans attacked our border forts and overrun them, Canada might not exist. So Wellington Street retains its name. As for Wellington, the argument for naming the street in front of Parliament might be taking place in Kingston, and Ottawa may never have existed. History is full of “what ifs”.

- Mike Pringle P.Eng, ex CRE (Corps of Royal Engineers)

How strange and sad it is to try and promote history at the expense of history. Wellington is a historic name and an intrinsic part of the city’s history of its streets and names. Macdonald, also a historic name, has a bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, and, apparently, already had a street in Ottawa named for him. Will changing a street name prompt Ottawa residents, or students, or visitors, to know more about Sir John A. Macdonald and Canadian history? Surely not! Sadly, it can only demonstrate how vulnerable other historic names and historic aspects of the city are.

- Carol Martin, Ottawa-born historian

“Having lived and worked in Ottawa in the past, and being a Canadian who is proud of this country’s heritage, I feel I have a right to protest the movement to change the name of Wellington Street. As I learned recently while doing research in preparation for reporting on the 195th anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium, many place names in Canada owe their origin to the victors in the battle – the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Richmond (Charles Lennox), Sir Peregrine Maitland, Sir John Colborne, the Earl of Uxbridge and Sir James Kempt, to name just some of them. And, as has been pointed out, the Duke of Wellington figured prominently in the decision to build the Rideau Canal, so it makes sense to have an adjacent thoroughfare in Ottawa named in his honour. I think it’s interesting to note that when the Duke of Wellington was told by a sharpshooter that he had Napoleon Bonaparte in his sights, the Duke reportedly forbade him to shoot the French leader, stating: “We generals have better things to do than to shoot at each other.” To paraphrase that comment: ‘We Canadians have better things to do than to tear down our traditions!’”

- Tom Douglas, Military Author and Travel Writer, Oakville, Ontario

“Wellington Street is central to the history of Ottawa and Canada. Its preservation would reflect our respect for our past.”

- Dr. John Richard English, CM, FRSC, Professor of History and Political Science at the University of Waterloo; Member of the Order of Canada; a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; former President of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs; former Chair of the Board of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum; former Executive Director of the Centre for International Governance Innovation; official biographer of former Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson; author of two-volumes biography of Pierre Trudeau

“I am a Canadian historian who has taught nineteenth-century political history for many years, much of it focusing on Macdonald, a small statue of whom, as it happens, stands on the floor of my office behind me. The question here is not whether Macdonald was more ‘Canadian’ than Wellington (he obviously was, by any standard) or which of the two men was ‘greater’ or due more recognition. It’s whether or not we acknowledge the integrity of the past. With very few exceptions, where perhaps moral integrity might trump historical integrity, we should not be trying to remake it to conform to the changing standards of the times.”

- Kenneth C. Dewar, Professor of History at Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax, NS); Author of Charles Clarke, Pen and Ink Warrior

“Wellington’s strategic plan for Upper Canada was crucial to the development of the community that later became Ottawa. The attempt to expunge his name from the map of the city is suggestive of ignorance of the role of the British and their army in the development of Canada.”

- Andrew Smith, Professor of History at Laurentian University (Sudbury, ON), historian and author.

“Wellington Street is one of Ottawa’s oldest streets and is an integral part of Ottawa’s rich civic history. Lt. Colonel John By – the builder of the Rideau Canal and in many ways the founder of Ottawa personally chose the name as he marked out Ottawa’s original streets and roadways. In changing the name of Wellington Street we tamper with its heritage value and historical context as well as close to 200 years of local usage.”

- Meg Hamilton, Executive Director of The Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa (CHOO)

“It is always a mistake to erase names and facts from the nation’s history. It is a crime. In 1982 the Canadian government changed the name of our founding constitution. What had been The British North America Act (1867) became The Constitution Act (1867). We are still living with the institutions described in the British North America Act (1867). There have been a few amendments, but none of major importance. We are still a federation governed by parliamentary institutions, just as the Fathers of Confederation intended. Think! Any country can have a Constitution Act. In the entire history of human kind only one people has had the right to call its founding document, The British North America Act. We threw away a proud and distinctive designation, without discussion, without reflection. Let’s not make a similar mistake with Wellington Street.”

- Janet Ajzenstat, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, McMaster University; author and historian.

“I fully support the campaign to preserve the name of Wellington St. Unless there’s a compelling reason to do so, which in this case there clearly is not, it’s a grave assault on our history to obliterate the markers and signposts of our past. The Duke had a vital role in the early history of Ottawa. Leave the street as it is.”

- William R. Morrison, Professor Emeritus of History at University of Northern British Columbia.

“I fully support your efforts to preserve Wellington Street as Wellington Street. The other day, I happened to be reading the Mackenzie King diary from 1914 and was interested to see that he referred a number of times to the scene on Wellington Street. For more than a century, Wellington Street has been at the heart of Canada’s national life , and it should continue that way. As much as Sir John A. deserves tribute, it shouldn’t be at the expense of a national institution.”

- Jonathan F. Vance is professor and Canada Research Chair in Conflict and Culture in the Department of History at the University of Western Ontario and was recently named a Premier’s Research Excellence Award winner. He is also the author of several books and has published over eighty peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, invited lectures, and book reviews.

“I share your view that the name of the oldest street in Ottawa should not be changed and I support your efforts to keep the original name.”

- Jolanta T. Pekacz, Associate Professor of History, Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS)

“Wellington Street was named by Col. John By after the Duke of Wellington, Col. By’s sponsor when he came to build the Rideau Canal, and it has been in use for over 100 years. Prime Minister Macdonald has been well recognized throughout the country by names of streets, highways, bridges and countless schools. Wellington belongs to Ottawa’s history and should not be lost.”

- Alex Cullen, Ottawa (Bay Ward) City Councillor 2006-2010

It is a bizarre concept to try and commemorate one aspect of history while destroying another. Wellington Street is one of the two oldest streets in Ottawa, and as such deserves to be preserved.
While Sir John A Macdonald was certainly a very influential player in the forming of our country, he is already commemorated in a street (MacDonald St) that was actually named after him.
It would be anachronistic to rename Wellington Street after Macdonald, as Sir John A would only have been a child when the street was named. This would give people a false impression that either Macdonald stemmed from an earlier generation, or that Ottawa is younger than it is in reality.
The proposal shows a shocking irreverence for the history of our nation’s capital.

- Charlie Taylor, Mayoral Candidate Ottawa 2010

Last updated: April 14th 2011, 12:45pm