Because it's time to stop honoring the worst of us...

For a number of years, it has troubled many people throughout the province of Nova Scotia, particularly in the Halifax Regional Municipality, that there are numerous public entities such as parks, streets, schools, etc., named in honor of colonial English Governor Edward Cornwallis.  Those of us who know the true history of this man, find these honors reprehensible.

Therefore, it is the goal of the Rename Cornwallis Initiative to have the names of these places changed, which, we hope, will restore justice to the people of the Mi’kmaq First Nation, and in the process educate the people of Nova Scotia about the true story of Edward Cornwallis.  We feel it is grossly inappropriate that Cornwallis, who put a bounty on the heads of Mi’kmaq men, women, and children, should be honored in any manner.

To continue to honor him, knowing what he did, is morally wrong. No decent person should ever have to walk on a street named after him, enter a park named in his honor, or attend a school that bears his name. Further, for this society to continue to honor and esteem him, a man who put a price on the heads of their ancestors, is a downright slap in the face to the people of the Mi’kmaq First Nation, the Indigenous People of Nova Scotia.

Many people are not aware of the need for change because they have never been told about the atrocities Cornwallis committed against the original inhabitants of Nova Scotia.  Dr. Daniel Paul, C.M., O.N.S., has been the driving force behind educating people about the history of this province through his book "We Were Not the Savages”.  He has opened many eyes through his selfless determination to present the facts.  One of those facts is that Edward Cornwallis placed a bounty on the heads of the Mi'kmaq people of Nova Scotia. This bounty, set out in the October 2, 1749 Proclamation, is a well documented and well accepted fact, which cannot be disputed.  This is the legacy of Edward Cornwallis.  This is the man who has schools, parks, and streets named in his honor.

For many years now, there has been a grassroots movement the aim of which is to try to rename the various places that bear the name of Cornwallis.  This group is trying to organize this movement into a cohesive one with a plan of action.

The initial goal of the Rename Cornwallis Initiative is to educate people about the history of Edward Cornwallis.  In addition, we want Cornwallis’ public honors, which exist throughout Halifax, Nova Scotia and Canada, removed, renamed or altered. We are not trying to erase Edward Cornwallis from history.  However, he should never have been given the honors he holds and in order to correct this injustice, a renaming must take place. 

One way you can become involved in this initiative is to sign the online petition and encourage others to sign it as well.  Please be aware that your signature will not appear immediately as it must be reviewed before it can be posted (this is important because of the online nature of the petition).

You can view/sign the petition here in English or here en Francais, or here in Mi'kmaq (many thanks to Guéganne for doing the translations). 

Another way, is to write to your municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives to let them know you support the Rename Cornwallis Initiative.  You can find contact info for Halifax Regional Municipal councillors here, for Nova Scotia MLA here and for Members of Parliament here.

If you would like more information about the Rename Cornwallis Initiative, email cheryl@renamecornwallis.com

You can read all about the atrocities committed by Edward Cornwallis by going here. The site is created by Daniel Paul, author of "We Were Not the Savages".

Visit and join our Facebook Group by clicking here.

For a powerful poem and image by Roger Davies, supporter of the Rename Cornwallis Initiative, follow the link here.