N.L. government considering renaming Colonial Building

The Newfoundland and Labrador government is considering renaming the Colonial Building historic site before reopens to the public this summer, CBC has learned.

An information note from theDepartment of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation recommends changing the name "as part of government's ongoing efforts in support of Indigenous reconciliation and in keeping with current public sentiment/discourse surrounding the concept of 'colonialism.'"

The building was the seat of legislature for the country and later province of Newfoundland from 1850 to 1959. Designated a historic site in 1974, it has been undergoing renovations since 2010.

In recent years the building has become a site for demonstrations in support of reconciliation and decolonization, notably the ongoing memorial for victims of the residential school system across the country.

Reckoning with colonialism

But while the history will be preserved and displayed, the name mightnot.

The information note, obtained by CBC News through an access-to-information request, notes that while the term "Colonial Building" was in use as early as 1832 during the proposal for construction, no other British colonial offices were known by that name at the time.

The note also suggests some possible replacements.

In the 1920s a Newfoundland postage stamp displayed the building with the name "House of Parliament."In the 1863 book Lost Amid the Fogs, author Robert Barlow McCrae refers to the building as "Parliament House."

The departmental note suggests such a name could match well with both Government House and Commissariat House, two sites located nearby in St. John's.

Reopening in the near future

While the building has been under extensive renovations for 12 years, it may reopen to the public as early as this summer as part of the provincial government's Come Home Year 2022 celebrations.

In a statement, spokesperson Adrienne Luther says the department plans to have the site open as an attraction with "an immersive and interactive visitor experience, which will include guided tours, programming, exhibits, and educational offerings."

In the meantime, the province has begun consultations on the name change withhistorians and Indigenous governments and organizations.

The issue will also be on the agenda at an upcoming roundtable between Premier Andrew Furey and Indigenous leaders from around the province.

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