Provincial legislation on the renaming of Red Indian Lake is in second reading in the House of Assembly.

The proposed Bill seeks to rename the lake in central Newfoundland as Beothuck Lake.

Government initially fumbled the attempt to change the name of the lake earlier this year by suddenly announcing that it would now be known by a Mi’kmaq term meaning ‘peaceful lake.’

That immediately resulted in an outcry from residents of Millertown, Buchans and Buchans Junction who wanted to see the lake’s long history with the Beothuck people recognized.

Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation Lisa Dempster acknowledged that subsequent public consultations resulted in an agreement that the Beothuck be reflected in a new name.

She says many responded by saying that if the name of the lake were to change, it should reflect the Beothuck people. Ranking highest among the new name choices was Beothuck Lake.