Dominion Society Puts City of Owen Sound "On Notice" Over Ryerson Park Renaming
The Dominion Society appeared at Owen Sound council as a speaker challenged the “locational relevance” of an Anishinaabe name for former Ryerson Park.
The Dominion Society of Canada, which describes itself as a heritage preservation and Canadian identity advocacy group, appeared at Owen Sound City Council Monday night during the meeting’s Public Forum portion, where residents are permitted up to three minutes to address council on any issue.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network has characterized the organization as the “incorporated political arm” of Canada’s white nationalist movement.
The group attended in support of local resident James Blake, who used his speaking time to urge council to consider renaming the former Ryerson Park after First World War flying ace Billy Bishop.
Blake told council that Bishop, who was born in Owen Sound in 1894, “truly reflects the history and spirit of our community.”
He argued Bishop had stronger ties to the city than some of the names currently under consideration through the City’s renaming process.
“I propose the park be named after one of Owen Sound’s greatest sons, Billy Bishop,” Blake said.
“Billy Bishop embodied a spirit of adventure, daring and fearless exploration, the very qualities we see in children at play.”
Blake also criticized one of the shortlisted options, Ningaawendam Miikana (Friendship Land), and questioned why other suggested names—such as one referencing Prince of Wales Public School or a former Owen Sound mayor—had been rejected for lacking locational relevance.
“Seems to me that both of those suggestions have more locational relevance than Friendship Land,” he said.
Owen Sound is located within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and the proposed Anishinaabe name reflects Indigenous language and cultural ties to the land.
After Blake concluded his remarks, Mayor Ian Boddy invited him back to the microphone, explicitly noting he was “breaking my own three-minute rule,” to ask whether he was representing an organization.
Blake then identified members of the DSC in attendance.
“They’re an advocacy group for Canadians, I suppose,” Blake said.
Mayor Boddy then allowed DSC co-founder Ken Jones to address council.
Jones described the Dominion Society as “a Heritage Preservation and Canadian identity advocacy group.”
“Obviously, we see a lot of the renaming of our city parks and memorials across all municipalities of Canada,” Jones said.
“We are here to put this municipality and all municipalities across the country on notice that we will not stand for the renaming of our heritage monuments and memorial sites.”
Jones said the group wished to do so “respectfully” and said he hoped council would be “influenced to make the right decision.”
DSC, a federally registered non-profit, was founded in July 2025 by former People’s Party of Canada executive director Daniel Tyrie, Greg Wycliffe, and Jones. The group has been at the centre of multiple controversies since its inception.
DSC advocates for severe immigration restrictions and what it calls “remigration,” a policy critics describe as the mass deportation of non-European immigrants.
On its own website, the group says it exists to “protect, preserve, and promote Canada’s historical legacy, civic identity, and constitutional heritage.”
In keeping with the City’s Public Forum policy, members of council did not respond directly to the Dominion Society’s remarks.
The appearance comes as Owen Sound continues a years-long process to rename the former Ryerson Park.
Council voted in July 2025 to rename the park under the City’s Naming and Re-Naming Policy after concerns were raised about Egerton Ryerson’s role in the development of Canada’s residential school system.
At a February 2026 meeting, the Community Services Committee recommended public consultation on four possible names for the park:
Eighth Street Park
Boyd Street Park
Old School Park
Ningaawendam Miikana (Friendship Land)
Council has not yet approved a final name.
The park sign was removed in 2021, and the city has been moving through the formal naming policy process since a renaming application was submitted in May 2025.
Owen Sound is expected to continue public consultation on possible new names for the former Ryerson Park before council makes a final decision later this year.
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