View the story "Toronto's Union Station should be renamed, councillor says" on StorifyToronto's Union Station should be renamed, councillor saysStorified by CBC News Community· Tue, Feb 04 2014 14:10:25

A Toronto city councillor has put forth a motion to rename the city’s major transit hub, Union station, the Sir John A. Macdonald Station.

Renaming the station after Canada’s founding father and first prime minister as his bicentennial approaches would be “a unique opportunity to recognize his contribution to our country,” according to Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong, who put forth the motion today.

“One of his greatest accomplishments was the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway,” he wrote in the proposal to council. “This railway served as an important link from coast to coast, and played a significant role in uniting the country in the context of rejecting the manifest destiny of the United States.”

Of course the station is currently named like many other stations around North America. ‘Union’ refers to a railway station where tracks are shared by two or more separate railway companies -- in this case currently GO trains and VIA Rail trains, with the TTC’s link directly below.

Coun. Adam Vaughan was one of many to question the idea.

"I don't think you obliterate history to honour history," Vaughan said, instead giving an alternative way of potentially honouring Canada's first prime minister.

"There's a new plaza in front of Union Station that's being built. Maybe it's the plaza that's appropriately named for John A. MacDonald."

As soon as the announcement was made, many took to Twitter to call the motion everything from a great idea to a waste of time and money.

Wikimedia@DenzilMW's Union Station motion. http://t.co/KVelMoYYvKJamie Strashin@siomo @DenzilMW read the motion! It is a terrific idea! We need to honour our past! Sir John A built our railway to unite the country!Sean WebsterRenaming Union Station sounds nice but in this economic climate, now is NOT the time! No more wasting money!!! @DenzilMWJanet D@DenzilMW ur latest proposal is so NOT mayoral... waste of time, waste of energy, waste of money. #TOpoli Union Station..John Furr@torontodan I hate it when they waste time trying to solve problems no one is having...leave the name of Union Station aloneUnivrsleWouldn't changing the name of Union Station cause unnecessary confusion? Who really cares that dozens of other cities have one too? #TOpoliSarah NolanCalling Union Station, Sir John A MacDonald Station is a dumb idea. I'll keep calling it Union just like I still call it the SkyDome #TOpoliBoredgeekWikimediaIf councillors so much as *think* about renaming Union Station, I will summon the screaming ghost of Lyon Mackenzie to haunt them all.Ivor TossellToronto has had a Union Station since 1858. That's 156 years, or almost eight times as long as @DenzilMW's political career.TorontoRailwayMuseumI'm just chuffed that a body as venerable and upstanding as Toronto City Council is even considering bestowing such an honour on me.Sir John A MacdonaldWikimediaWhat do you think of the idea?

Union Station should be renamed after first PM, councillor says

Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong wants to honour Sir John A. Macdonald in the new name

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