Why B.C. is right to drop term British Columbian
In late January, British Columbia’s government issued a writer’s guide for public servants. The purpose is to create a template that facilitates more respect toward the cultural integrity of Indigenous Peoples living in the province, as well as newcomers and refugees.
The guide recommends that instead of using British Columbian as a way to identify provincial residents, a better vernacular would be to say “people living in B.C.” This syncs with a Research Co. survey conducted in October 2022. The survey found one in five people have an issue with the name “British Columbia” because of its lack of Indigenous acknowledgment. And, of course, the word “British,” which stands as an epitaph of colonialism and the assimilation of Indigenous cultures.
Has the government gone too far in this suggested change?
No. In fact, the name-changing needs to go further. I don’t have to look far to see what’s possible or where there could be improvement.
Late last year, the American Ornithological Society (AOS) announced it was embarking on a process to rename dozens of birds with possessive names. For example, Townsend’s Warbler, a little songbird that sings to let you know it’s in the garden, is named after a 19th-century ornithologist who also stole Indigenous skulls to examine.
Yikes, poor bird having to bear that moniker!
In a commentary published in Nature, Ecology, Evolution, scientists have argued that even plant names with an association with imperialism, racism and slavery should be changed. They specifically point fingers at the plant genus Hibbertia, a collection of plants found in Australia named after George Hibbert, a British patron who profited from the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
The award-winning Canadian Explorer Collection of Roses is another example. It pays tribute to European explorers who first stepped foot on North American soil. A pristine white shrub rose named for Henry Hudson is part of the collection. Among other claims to fame, Hudson is credited with laying the foundation for the Dutch colonization of New York state.
There’s an argument that renaming erases history. It’s a point that’s come up in renaming Dundas Street in Toronto. I disagree. Colonialism robbed Indigenous Peoples of their language and relabelled just about everything. Renaming isn’t about reverting to those lost names. It’s about creating a new legacy that builds a more inclusive society.
British Columbia has not been renamed, it simply evolved to be more representative of the people living here. New monikers for our fine feathered friends, for example — aside from removing the names of individuals who perpetrated acts of systemic racism — should be more descriptive of the bird, its appearance and habits. The aforementioned Townsend’s Warbler for example might be better named for its love of singing.
I may no longer be a British Columbian but rather someone who lives in B.C., and that’s OK.