Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow
Courtesy Wikimedia Commmons
Toronto City Council’s decision to rename Yonge-Dundas Square to “Sankofa Square” has sparked outrage among some Canadians, who argue it erases the legacy of Henry Dundas, a committed abolitionist, based on flawed historical perceptions.
The vote, backed by Mayor Olivia Chow, claims Dundas delayed the abolition of the slave trade, despite evidence he fought to end slavery, including arguing in 1776 that no slave could remain enslaved on Scottish soil.
Critics highlight the irony of replacing Dundas’ name with “Sankofa,” a term from Ghana’s Akan tribe known for capturing and selling one to two million Africans during the transatlantic slave trade.
“Toronto is stripping Henry Dundas’ name over his ‘connection’ to slavery – even though he was an abolitionist. But they rename it ‘Sankofa Square,’ a word from the Akan tribe who exchanged their gold for slaves,” said Andrew Lawton on X.
The $860,000 rebranding, initially budgeted at $335,000, has drawn further criticism for its cost and lack of transparency. Daniel Tate, who launched a petition with over 30,000 signatures to stop the renaming, called it “a direct attack on the history of one of the most iconic areas of our city.”
Jennifer Dundas, a descendant, labeled the decision a “lynching” of her ancestor’s legacy, accusing council of spreading falsehoods about Dundas’ role in slavery.
Conservatives argue the move reflects “woke” revisionism, ignoring Dundas’ contributions, like appointing abolitionist John Graves Simcoe to Upper Canada, where slavery was limited in 1793.
Critics urge Toronto to preserve Dundas’ name and confront the Akan’s slave-trading history instead of sanitizing it.