First it was statues.Now British Columbia’s ubiquitous Crown corp., BC Ferries, is renaming one of its vessels to remove associations with its colonialist past and ties to residential schools.Reflecting what it said is a “commitment to reconciliation,” it renamed its vessel Kuper to Pune’luxutth at a special ceremony in Victoria on the weekend and after consultation with local indigenous groups. In a news release, BC Ferries said the previous name “was widely associated with the former residential school of the same name, cultural assimilation and painful history.”.“By renaming our vessel to a name that acknowledges and honours indigenous heritage, we aim to foster mutually respectful relationships and move forward with the indigenous communities we serve in a positive and meaningful way,” said CEO Nicolas Jimenez. “It demonstrates our commitment to acknowledging past wrongs and correcting hurtful historical naming where we can.”“(The) Penelakut Tribe is relieved to see the removal of the colonial name Kuper; furthermore, we are proud to see the use of our Hul’qumi’num language,” added Penelakut councillor Josh James. “We look forward to continue building our relationship with BC Ferries.”The Pune’luxutth which has been plying the southern Gulf waters of Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut — formerly Kuper Island — since 2007 but has been undergoing a retrofit in dry dock as part of a recommissioning that will see it return to service on December 9. This is also where it went through the process of a name change, BC Ferries said. More, undisclosed, name changes could be in the offing, it added..Kuper Island Indian Residential School — also known as Kuper Island Indian Industrial School — was operated by the Roman Catholic Church with funding from the federal Department of Indian Affairs from 1889 to 1975.The school was nicknamed “Canada’s Alcatraz” owing to its remote location after two sisters drowned trying to escape in 1959. In 1995, Oblate Brother Glen Doughty pled guilty to three charges of indecent assault and gross indecency for offences committed at Kuper Island between 1967 and 1968.The Government of Canada took it over in 1969 and demolished the existing building in the 1980s.In 2021, the Penelakut First Nation announced more than 160 unmarked graves had been found on the grounds and foreshores of the island..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
First it was statues.Now British Columbia’s ubiquitous Crown corp., BC Ferries, is renaming one of its vessels to remove associations with its colonialist past and ties to residential schools.Reflecting what it said is a “commitment to reconciliation,” it renamed its vessel Kuper to Pune’luxutth at a special ceremony in Victoria on the weekend and after consultation with local indigenous groups. In a news release, BC Ferries said the previous name “was widely associated with the former residential school of the same name, cultural assimilation and painful history.”.“By renaming our vessel to a name that acknowledges and honours indigenous heritage, we aim to foster mutually respectful relationships and move forward with the indigenous communities we serve in a positive and meaningful way,” said CEO Nicolas Jimenez. “It demonstrates our commitment to acknowledging past wrongs and correcting hurtful historical naming where we can.”“(The) Penelakut Tribe is relieved to see the removal of the colonial name Kuper; furthermore, we are proud to see the use of our Hul’qumi’num language,” added Penelakut councillor Josh James. “We look forward to continue building our relationship with BC Ferries.”The Pune’luxutth which has been plying the southern Gulf waters of Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut — formerly Kuper Island — since 2007 but has been undergoing a retrofit in dry dock as part of a recommissioning that will see it return to service on December 9. This is also where it went through the process of a name change, BC Ferries said. More, undisclosed, name changes could be in the offing, it added..Kuper Island Indian Residential School — also known as Kuper Island Indian Industrial School — was operated by the Roman Catholic Church with funding from the federal Department of Indian Affairs from 1889 to 1975.The school was nicknamed “Canada’s Alcatraz” owing to its remote location after two sisters drowned trying to escape in 1959. In 1995, Oblate Brother Glen Doughty pled guilty to three charges of indecent assault and gross indecency for offences committed at Kuper Island between 1967 and 1968.The Government of Canada took it over in 1969 and demolished the existing building in the 1980s.In 2021, the Penelakut First Nation announced more than 160 unmarked graves had been found on the grounds and foreshores of the island..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
