Saskatoon has proposed a new name for John A. Macdonald Road in the Confederation Park neighbourhood. The new name is Cree for a good relationship, miyo-wâhkôhtowin Road. . David Kirton Pride .Two years ago, the city council agreed to change the street's name, which is named after Canada's first prime minister. .The proposal to change the name was from Councillor David Kirton..READ MORE Saskatoon councillor breaks city’s silence on the 'naked man' in the little girls changing room.This decision was made to show support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action and to acknowledge the involvement of John A. Macdonald in the residential school system..“The proposed name reflects the theme of Reconciliation and was thoughtfully and carefully chosen after listening to and learning from the community and the people that continue to be impacted by residential schools and the legacy of John A. Macdonald,” said Melissa Cote, Saskatoon’s director of indigenous initiatives, in a press release..“Residential schools contributed to a breakdown in communities and relationships and division; good relationships will bring us together.”.As part of the approval process, the recommended name will be presented to Saskatoon’s Civic Naming committee on Aug. 1..On Sept. 27, the city council will ultimately decide whether to change the street name..According to the statement, the city plans to start making changes to signs, maps and addresses in the fall and winter of this year..At a meeting organized by the city on Wednesday, some homeowners expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed new name..Darin Daughton, who spoke at a nearby elementary school meeting, said that it was the first time he had heard about the name and the city could have done a better job of communicating the information..“A lot of people were upset with the fact there could be costs involved,” said Daughton..“It sounded like (they) hadn’t really checked into this stuff to make sure how it all went. You have land titles. Are you going to have to get a lawyer? There’s no clear-cut answers to help people understand.”.“Not that the name itself is offensive to them. It’s just the fact they’ve lived on that street that long and a lot of people agreed they could’ve picked something a lot easier,” said Daughton..“It was done with groups and didn’t include the residents that live right on the street. That came up because a lot of the people involved didn’t live in the area. Back when they originally talked about this two or three years ago, they actually came around and I was asked and said ‘Make it 32nd Street. Short, simple, sweet and doesn’t bother anybody.’”
