The renaming of Red Indian Lake in Central Newfoundland was among the items discussed in the Premier’s regular meeting with Indigenous leaders this week.

Indications are an update on those discussions is expected after questions were raised surrounding the provincial government’s announcement that the lake, historically connected to the Beothuk, will carry a Mi’kmaq name.

The decision caught a lot of people off guard, leading to questions about how it came about. Many area residents are disappointed that they weren’t included in the discussions, while the Beothuk Institute says last week’s announcement also caught them unaware.

Sagamaw Mi’sel Joe of the Miawpukik First Nation, the man who led the effort to have Demasduit and Nonosabusut’s remains repatriated to Newfoundland from Scotland, has indicated that he will not offer comment until a release is issued on the results of yesterday’s discussions.

Meanwhile, the number of voices expressing disappointment and surprise with the provincial government’s announced decision to rename Red Indian Lake continues to grow.

The Opposition MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans says the people who live on the shores of Red Indian Lake have more than a passing interest in renaming the body of water.

Chris Tibbs says for Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of towns like Buchans and Millertown, this is an important issue, and their voices need to be heard. He says area residents are dedicated to the upkeep, preservation, and protection of the significance of Red Indian Lake and should have been part of the conversation.

Local lawyer Mark Gruchy has shared his thoughts on social media indicating that he fears the issue was viewed “far too simplistically by decision-makers.” Gruchy says reconciliation is not merely a word, it’s a complex process that requires thought.

Former PC Leader Ches Crosbie has also spoken publicly on the matter.

Crosbie says he has kept a “discreet distance from politics” since he was defeated in last month’s election but has decided to speak out on the matter of renaming Red Indian Lake.

He writes that Premier Furey presents “this rewriting of history as an effort at ‘reconciliation.'” Crosbie says the Beothuk are gone and the province has only the memory of the people with which to reconcile, a process that cannot be helped by expunging their name from the body of water from which they were most connected.