The government of the New Brunswick province in eastern Canada said that starting from next January, the derogatory term against Indigenous women will no longer be part of the name of a mountain, town, and protected natural area located in the province.

The Progressive Conservative government in Fredericton explained that the mountain summit named "Squaw Cap," located in the Restigouche region in the north of the province, will be known as Mount "Meto'mqwijuig," which is its original name in the Indigenous language as documented in historical records.

The area surrounding the mountain will also be named "Meto'mqwijuig Mountain Protected Natural Area," and the town, which currently bears the name of the mountain summit, will be known as "Evergreen," a name chosen by residents through a voting process.

The government of Blaine Higgs launched last May a 28-day consultation process regarding proposals to rename the mountain, town, and protected natural area.

The government of New Brunswick also indicated that the process is ongoing to rename six other sites under its jurisdiction that carry insulting names involving racial slurs.

These changes come in response to pressures from Indigenous leaders and also from the commissioner of systemic racism in New Brunswick, who highlighted in a report that this Atlantic province includes more sites bearing a derogatory term than any other province or territory in Canada.

"Changing the names of geographical sites is a complex process, but it is important to stop using insulting names in the province," said the Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture in the New Brunswick government, Tammy Scott-Walsh.