(Moncton) The board of the University of Moncton in New Brunswick has decided: The institution will not change its name despite its connection to a controversial historical figure.
Published at 9:40 p.m.
“After considering the numerous questions related to the name, the members of the University Council decided not to extend the reflection process and not to change the name of the Université de Moncton,” the university confirmed in a press release on Saturday.
This decision followed the publication of a report commissioned by the university which described the involvement of British colonial officer Robert Monckton in the deportation of the Acadians.
The Université de Moncton owes its name to the location of its flagship campus in the city of Moncton. Several centuries ago it was British settlers who named the town in honor of Robert Monckton.
In their report, the authors estimated that changing the name of the institution, which is Canada's largest French-language university outside Quebec, would cost up to $4.6 million.
Instead of making a name change, the Université de Moncton board ultimately announced that it would support the development of strategies to contextualize the origin of its name, as well as an update of its toponymy policy.
“When the name of the University of Moncton was determined 60 years ago, it was consistent with its three campus locations and was based on the geographical location of its headquarters in the city of Moncton and not on “any historical character,” explained University Council President Denis Mallet, in a press release.
“The University of Moncton has been both Acadian and French-speaking since its founding and remains anchored in its communities by remembering history and looking to the future,” he added.
More than 1,000 people signed a petition earlier this year to sever the university's ties with Robert Monckton.