Despite a call from the Chief of the Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation, Amherstburg Mayor Aldo DiCarlo said it is very unlikely the Town will change its name.
Jason Henry is not the first to question if Amherstburg should consider a name change given that its namesake had a contentious relationship with the Indigenous population in his day. However, it is the first time an Indigenous leader has made the request.
Henry made the call in a Facebook post earlier this month.
"Many towns, cities, and municipalities across the country have been making the respectful change and creating new place and street names in removing Amherst as their namesake," he wrote. "Amherstburg, in the western end of Ontario in Three Fires Confederacy territory, still pays the smallpox perpetrator reward of immortality by honouring his actions in his name."
General Jeffrey Amherst recommended using blankets infected with smallpox as a weapon against the Indigenous population during the French and Indian War of the 18th century.
"Amherstburg is more than just its name, and there hasn't been a lot of interest in looking into changing it," said Mayor Aldo DiCarlo. "If we did, that would obviously have to be a town decision. We would have to involve the public."
He suggested the most likely way to get that feedback is through a municipal referendum.
DiCarlo noted Amherst, Nova Scotia, has faced similar requests over the years and has held firm against a name change.
"It's not like a street or a building. You know, those are easy," he explained. "Changing the name of a 200-year old town and everything that goes with it, that's a big decision."
Correction: An earlier version of the story included a reference to Amherstburg resident Raquel Hurst calling for a name change for the town of Amherstburg. She has actually called for a name change for General Amherst High School. BlackburnNews.com regrets the error.
