January 31, 2022
THE VARSITY The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
Vol. CXLII, No. 16
Students petition U of T to rescind Duncan Campbell Scot t’s honorary degrees Cedric Jiang Associate News Editor
Amanda Buffalo, a U of T doctoral stu- to have an impact today. “I don’t condent who is an Indigenous person, was sider Duncan Campbell Scott a conContent warning: This article discusses one of the sponsors of the petition. Buf- trove rsial figure: the evidence is clear racism and violence against Indigenous falo said she learned about the degree that he was just an incredibly violent awarded to Scott in the book Royally man peoples. who committed acts of genocide Wronged, in which current members again st Indigenous people. There is no Students and advocates are petition- of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) contr oversy,” she said. ing U of T to demand that it publicly explore the organization’s historical Buffalo said she hopes to speak with rescind the honorary doctorate degree contributions to a knowledge system U of T’s president and vice-president it awarded to writer Duncan Campbell rooted in colonialism. Scott formerly provo st to have a conversation about Scott in 1922. At the time, he was serv- served as the president of the RSC. how to examine legacies like Scott’s ing as the deputy superintendent at Buffalo said that, in the wake of the and move toward reconciliation. She the Department of Indian Affairs, which discoveries of mass graves in former noted that there is clear support for the oversaw Canada’s residential schools. residential school sites and the injus- petitio n, and that this initiative would be The petition says that U of T has his- tices against Indigenous peoples, now an oppo rtunity to build towards a more torically enhanced Scott’s reputation and is a good time for U of T to recon- just society. As of January 30, the petihelped create and sustain a political cul- sider the honour it awarded to Scott. “I tion has gathered over 1,100 signatures. ture of racism and colonialism by award- thought 100 years after the fact would “I think this petition is less of a deing him the honour, when he should be be a perfect time for the University of mand and more of an invitation to have held responsible for the harm his work Toronto to reconsider the conference more conversations [and] really engage has done to Indigenous peoples. The of that degree on Duncan Campbell in acts of reconciliation,” said Buffalo. petition notes that the 2022 convocation Scott and move toward reconciliation She believes that discussion about the could be an important opportunity for U with Indigenous people,” she said. honorary degree is an opportunity to of T to correct its actions publicly. Buffalo noted that Scott’s works of engage with reconciliation, and she “Scott’s honorary degree has be- literature were “instrumental” in the encourage s postsecondary institucome part of the confirmation of Cana- cultural genocide against Indigenous tions to do their part to address the dian racist mythologies that legitimate peoples. She said that Scott had en- histor ical wrong. colonialism while ignoring the horrific visioned exterminating Indigenous Tayte Gossling, a fourth-year uncost to Indigenous peoples. One hun- peoples in Canada and expressed dergr adua te stude nt at Quee n’s dred years later, it is time to correct the this view very extensively in his work. Unive rsity, initiated a similar petition She added that his position as a public that record,” reads the petition. demands that Queen’s rescind A similar petition was also initiated servant allowed him to put this vision the hono rary law degree it granted to at Queen’s University, where Scott re- into practice. Scott. Gossling said she learned more ceived his honorary law degree. Buffalo is concerned that Scott’s about Scott in a class reading that cenwork is still taught as though his con- tred on residential schools and was Students demand Scott’s degrees be tribution to the genocide of Indigenous shock ed to find out Queen’s had given peoples in Canada does not continue him rescinded an honorary degree.
Comment: U of T’s progress on Truth and Reconciliation — is it enough?
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