NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO – First Nations people will continue to have free access to services that allow them to reclaim their identities lost in residential schools.
On Feb. 26 during question period, the Ontario government confirmed the fees for name changes have been permanently waived for residential school survivors and their families aiming to reclaim traditional names altered by the residential school system.
MPP Sol Mamakwa, critic of Indigenous and treaty relations, and critic of northern development, said this is a great step, but more needs to be done as its not just residential school survivors who have been affected by colonial name changes.
“I think that the reclamation of the names, the name change is not just a name change, it's a reclamation of your identity of who we are,” he said. “And that's very important.”
Mamakwa said he was also glad to hear MPP Todd McCarthy, minister of public and business service delivery, make reference to a trip the two took to Cat Lake where Mamakwa said he offered the suggestion to the minister to extend the waiver.
“I gave him a thumbs up because of that,” said Mamakwa.
“And, that's all part of the stuff that they're doing, that's part of reconciliation, and I think that's great. I mean, it's those little things that mean a lot to people and perhaps, at some point in time in the near future I'll probably reclaim my identity and my name.”
Name changes, including changing to a single name, can be done through Service Ontario. People born in the province also receive a new birth certificate with the reclaimed name.