 Serious Issues
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SAVING MOUNT LOGAN - Website
a lightning rod for dissent
It's hard for people today to realize, overwhelmed as we are with modern
wonders of science like the space shuttle, GPS, and microwave popcorn, that
the technological marvels of recent times weren't always with us.
Sometimes it is even harder for people to appreciate the accomplishments
made by some great scientists who came before us.
Sir William Edmond Logan was certainly one of those great scientists.
Readers of Geolog need no introduction to Logan, and know that he mapped
the geology and mineral resources of most of what was Canada before
Confederation in 1867, that he is the father of the Geological Survey of
Canada, that he was the first Canadian to be knighted, that he was named,
in 1998 by Maclean's magazine, the greatest Canadian scientist ever, and
that his name has stood appropriately atop Canada's highest mountain since
1891. His skill, hard work, and vision helped shape Canada into a nation
of great prosperity. It is no coincidence that our prosperity is related
to our wealth of resources and scientific achievements.
Why, then, would Ottawa announce on October 4, 2000 that the name of
Canada's highest mountain was being changed from Mount Logan to Mount
Pierre Elliott Trudeau in honour of our late Prime Minister? Were the
great scientific achievements made by Logan suddenly forgotten? Renaming a
geographic feature without proper consultation with the Yukon First Nations
Umbrella Final Agreement and the Canadian Geographical Names Board sets a
dangerous precedent. Ottawa's proposal was quickly met with outrage from
geologists, scientists, historians, mountaineers and many others all over
the world.
We cannot ignore history and foster the belief that more recent is more
important. One person's contribution does not become diminished with time
by a more recent achievement.
As a geologist, helicopter pilot, and former Yukon resident, but
certainly not an activist, I could not sit back and allow Logan's name to
be so quickly dishonoured. On October 6, I reserved the internet name
www.SaveMtLogan.com and went to work on a web site to provide information
on Sir William Logan and Mount Logan. Ottawa's renaming proposal, combined
with a modern wonder of science - the internet, provided an unprecedented
opportunity to inform countless people of the significance of Sir William
Logan, and why one of Canada's most famous landmarks was named over a
century ago to honour him. At stake was not only Logan's reputation, but
the integrity of science and the geographical naming process.
With the assistance of a local web site developer, Ray McNally, the web
site was ready and on-line on the morning of October 11. A few e-mails to
my geology and non-geology friends generated an immediate response. The
next day, our web site was featured on the front page of the Globe and
Mail. Now the cat - or perhaps the tiger - was out of the bag. On October
12 and 13, our web site was receiving over 50 "hits" per minute, and we
were completely overwhelmed by incoming comments, emails, and petitions.
By the end of the first week, we had recorded over 45,000 hits and received
19,000 names on a petition opposing the renaming. Our web site has now
been mentioned on many local and national newspapers, and by television and
radio across Canada. Gary McRobb, MLA for Kluane, Yukon, has tabled the
results of the on-line petition in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Thanks to Ottawa, many people who had never heard of William Logan
barely a month ago now know who he was. We have so far recorded over
70,000 visitors, and collected 23,000 petitions from every continent except
Antarctica - a number roughly equivalent to the entire Yukon population.
The outpouring of concern toward the name change has been akin to the
outpouring of emotion following Trudeau's death. Comments received on
the web site almost uniformly supported an appropriate tribute to Mr.
Trudeau, but not at the expense of Sir William Logan.
As this issue of Geolog goes to press, the Liberal government has
soundly returned to power and the controversy surrounding the renaming of
Mount Logan seems to have cooled off a bit. Although Ottawa has now
suggested that the proposed name change is being reconsidered, a firm
commitment to keep the Logan name at Mount Logan has not yet been made.
Canadian Prime Minister Chretien's proposal to rename Mount Logan in
honour of Mr. Trudeau may very well have been made with the best of
intentions. Is Mr. Chretien, then, one of the people who doesn't
appreciate the modern wonders of science?
Lest we forget.
Harmen Keyser
Gibsons, BC
With thanks to Ray McNally, Gary McRobb, Labarre Frederic, Stephane
Duchesne, Ed Hartlin, and many others who took the time to voice their
concern over the renaming proposal.
Editor's Note: As this issue of Geolog goes to press, there has been no
final word from Ottawa that the proposal to rename Mount Logan has been
abandoned. On behalf of geologists and scientists everywhere, you can do
your part to help Mr. Keyser's volunteer initiative to preserve a bit of
Canadian scientific history by adding your name to the www.SaveMtLogan.com
petition!
As published in GEOLOG, the newsmagazine of the Geological Association of
Canada, v. 29, pt. 4, 2000.
Visit Save Mt Logan and sign our Petition
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Send your comments to: ideas@canadianculture.com
Thanks for your help
best regards
www.CanadianCulture.com
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