OWEN SOUND, Ont. — In a standout moment at Owen Sound City Council’s public forum on April 27, 2026, local resident James Blake and members of the Dominion Society of Canada delivered a compelling defence of Canadian heritage, urging the city to reject politically motivated name changes that critics say reflect the broader erosion of national identity under Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks.
The park at 823 5th Avenue East — long known as Ryerson Park — has been without its original signage since 2021, when the fallout from the Kamloops mass grave conspiracy ignited an activist-driven name-change campaign targeting the park because of Egerton Ryerson’s historical association with the residential school system. While Ryerson is widely credited with establishing Ontario’s public education framework — a system that served generations of Canadians — petitioners framed the name as incompatible with “reconciliation,” prompting the city to remove the sign preemptively. Council later adopted a Naming and Re-Naming Policy CS087 in 2021 and, by July 2025, voted to proceed with a formal process to rename the park.
The Current shortlisted options include Old School Park, Eighth Street Park, Boyd Street Park, or Ningaawendam Miikana (“Friendship Land” in Anishinaabe). Many observers view this shift — sidelining personal or heroic names in favour of descriptive or Indigenous-language options — as symbolic of how DEI-influenced policies and activist pressure have increasingly prioritized grievance narratives over the celebration of Canada’s foundational achievements, military heroes, and local pioneers.
That narrative faced direct pushback on Monday night. Approximately a dozen well-dressed young men from the Dominion Society stood with Blake as he addressed the council. Blake, an Owen Sound resident, proposed renaming the park Billy Bishop Park in honour of the city’s native son and legendary First World War flying ace.
In his speech that resonated with many watching, Blake highlighted Bishop’s profound local roots—noting that “Billy Bishop embodied a spirit of adventure, daring and fearless exploration, the very qualities we see in children at play.” Blake argued the name “truly reflects the history and spirit of our community” and “It would remind the residents of Owen Sound that greatness can come from right here, from our hometown.”
Blake directly challenged the direction of the renaming process, stating, “We shouldn’t shy away from our past. We should preserve it and respect it.”
Co-founder Ken Jones then took the microphone, describing the organization as “a Heritage Preservation and Canadian identity advocacy group.” In firm yet respectful remarks that have since been widely shared, Jones stated: “We are here to put this municipality and all municipalities across the country on notice that we will not stand for the renaming of our heritage monuments and memorial sites.” He added that the group hoped to deliver the message “respectfully” and expressed confidence that the council would be “influenced to make the right decision.”
The Dominion Society — a federally registered non-profit founded in 2025 — has positioned itself as a barricade against what it sees as the systematic dismantling of Canada’s cultural inheritance, and they refuse to stand idly by as our monuments are torn down and our landmarks renamed. Supporters argue that cases like Ryerson Park illustrate how DEI advocates and institutional policies have turned public spaces into venues for perpetual atonement rather than pride, replacing stories of exploration, sacrifice, and local excellence with abstract concepts that feel disconnected from everyday Canadian life.
Council followed standard procedure and took no immediate debate or action during the public forum. The renaming process continues, with public input open until May 4, 2026, via the city’s engagement platform. An educational plaque on the park’s history is planned regardless of the outcome.
Yet the Dominion Society’s intervention has struck a chord nationally. In an era when many Canadians feel their shared history is under assault — from statue removals to school and street renamings — Blake’s eloquent call to honour Billy Bishop and Jones’s clear “on notice” message underscore a growing resolve that preserving Canada’s heritage is not nostalgia, but a necessary stand against cultural self-erasure. Whether Owen Sound chooses to celebrate one of its own or opts for another path, the evening of April 27 served as a reminder that voices defending Canadian identity will no longer remain silent.