Mary Papatsie, an Inuk woman whose remains were found in Ottawa in 2022, was buried in her home community of Pangnirtung in 2023. Ottawa Coun. Stéphanie Plante wants to rename a park near where Papatsie was found in her honour. (File photo courtesy of the Papatsie family)
Policy change means Ottawa park might be renamed for Inuk woman
Mary Papatsie’s remains were discovered 5 years after she went missing in 2017; councillor leads efforts to honour her
A policy change at Ottawa city hall means Mary Papatsie might have a park in the city renamed for her after all.
Ottawa city councillor Stéphanie Plante has submitted Papatsie’s name for the proposed renaming of Emond Park in the capital city.
Papatsie, an Inuk woman originally from Pangnirtung, was 39 years old when she was reported missing in Ottawa in 2017. Her remains were unearthed at a construction site in the city’s Vanier neighbourhood five years later in September 2022.
Her death is being investigated as a homicide by Ottawa police.
As the Rideau-Vanier councillor, Plante has spearheaded efforts to honour Papatsie through the city’s commemorative naming policy.
Papatsie originally did not meet the city’s criteria for commemoration, which stated “memorials marking an individual’s death” are not included.
On Wednesday, Ottawa city council approved a new commemorative naming policy that aims to represent a diversity of Ottawans.
The new policy pushes for “equitable representation of communities and cultures, including under-represented and equity-denied residents in urban, suburban, and rural areas” when assessing commemorative names.
It’s seen as an effort to be more inclusive and ensure the consideration of Indigenous names is community-led.
Plante’s nomination of Papatsie will first be sent to the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation Consultative Culture Circle before being submitted to council for approval.
The Culture Circle’s role is to provide feedback to council regarding Indigenous nominees, even if they do not meet all the criteria for commemoration.
Under the new policy, criteria for individual merit includes “risking one’s life or performing an act of exceptional courage,” “exceptional dedication to community service” to the city, province or country, or acts of historical and cultural significance to Ottawa.
“The only thing I requested when submitting her name, as I don’t know how long the process takes, was that it be done before International Inuit Day on Nov. 7,” Plante said.
What has Pangnirtung named after her?
Grateful for this woke councilor’s priorities. May those signals she virtued take her far.
Under the new policy, criteria for individual merit includes “risking one’s life or performing an act of exceptional courage,” “exceptional dedication to community service” to the city, province or country, or acts of historical and cultural significance to Ottawa.
Ok, we shall wait to see what she did that deserves a park named after her.
How did a park that doesn’t even know Inuit exist get named after, y’know….