The Editor,
Kudos to the Friends of the Gatineau River volunteers, who organized the March 22 World Water Day meeting, which brought together the river community around the possibility of recognizing our cherished Gatineau River as a legal entity. At this meeting, Gilbert Whiteduck, president of the Gatineau Valley Historical Society and respected elder of the Algonquin-Anishinabe peoples of this valley, spoke strongly in support of the legal recognition of the Tenàgàdino Zibi, the name the original people of this land used to describe the Gatineau River.
As the municipality of Chelsea’s 150th anniversary approaches in 2025, would it not be a fitting gesture of respect and recognition to officially recognize the Algonquin name of our beautiful river as part of our celebration?
It has been over seven years since Chelsea resolved to change the name of Hwy 105 to a name that more appropriately recognizes that it is not a highway but the main street of Chelsea. Now is the time to adopt Promenade Tenàgàdino as the name of our town’s main street. It would be an important gesture of reconciliation and support for the concept of protecting the precious river as a legal entity.
Alain Piché
Chelsea, QC