Road south of Carleton Place sheds name offensive to Indigenous women

A road that runs alongside Mississippi Lake, in Lanark County, has a new name, after some residents banded together to ditch the road's old moniker that contained a slur toward Indigenous women.

While the word in question was originally an Algonquin word, respectful for the totality of a woman, its meaning changed over the years.

“The old name of the road is a word that has been used to denigrate Indigenous women,” said Maureen Bostock, of the Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation. “The history of violence against Indigenous women is a long and torturous history, and that word was part of what objectified Indigenous women.”

The process took more than a year, involving multiple suggestions for new names and a dialogue with opponents, who initially wanted to keep the original name, to convey the problems and offensiveness of the word in question.

Beckwith Township approved changing the road's name to Ikwe Point Road in December, and new road signs with the new name have been installed.

“I am so excited,” said Bostock. “I know that the children that drive in the school bus down that road every morning see a word that is an Algonquin word for women, but is a respectful word.”