Meeting of the Friends of Egerton Ryerson, 12 July 2026
Present by Zoom: Rose Dyson in the chair, Keith Hoilett, George Hume, Lynn McDonald, Gord McNulty, Wendy Ryerson, Cathy Simpson, Garry Tate, Peter Wyatt taking notes.
Regrets: Sue Macauley
Those present at the beginning of the meeting introduced themselves. We welcomed Cathy Simpson on attending her first zoom meeting.
Minutes of the last meeting were accepted as circulated.
Lynn McDonald drew attention to the letter addressed to the President of TMU circulated with the minutes and agenda and asked people to sign it.
In matters of finance, it appears that FER have about $1000 in the bank. Keith Hoilett volunteered to make a contribution to offset expenses for our September event in Port Credit.
It was mentioned that Ron Stagg and Len Fortune had put a second ad in the Indigenous newspaper, The Two Row Times offering a reward of $1000 for return of the head of the Ryerson statue broken and removed from the TMU grounds in 2021.
At the invitation of the chair, Peter Wyatt presented a proposal for the program of the September gathering marking the 200th anniversary of Ryerson’s arrival in 1826 at the Mississauga village at the Credit. While it was risky to do so, he spoke about the importance of having Mississauga representations at the event, without which our gathering might seem hollow.
Discussion included the following:
-Chief Margaret Sault was one of the Panel of Four at Victoria University, UT that produced a report calling for Ryerson to become, in effect, a non-person at Vic.
-Might smudging be a part of our gathering?
-Keith thought that, on the whole, the event planned for September 20th in Port Credit was a good idea.
-It was agreed that we should invite others as observers of what we are doing but retain and plan for a lead speaker and his/her remarks ourselves.
-An effort to have Mississauga First Nation presence at the September 20th event in Port Credit is important.
Keith cautioned that, in some contexts, celebration is not always an apt response. But this is one of those occasions, when it is important to set aside differences and do so.
The venue is a room at the Port Credit Library with a capacity of 60. Rental is $100. People will have the opportunity to walk outside and note a plaque indicating the former presence of a Government Inn, at one time the only building between Etobicoke and Burlington Beach.
The next meeting takes the form of a potluck dinner to be held at Wendy Ryerson’s condo, located near the Kipling and Dundas Streets intersection in Toronto, beginning at 5:30 pm.
WHEN YOU RSVP WENDY, SHE WILL SEND BACK THE ACTUAL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER.
RSVP to wendyryerson@gmail.com before August 1.
The next Zoom meeting will take place on Sept. 13,4 pm
As we were about to part, Lynn noted that she had contact with a Curve Lake Mississauga man who is interested in the Friends. Indeed, there are several people at the Curve Lake reserve who bear the first name “Ryerson.” Noted also was the member of the Norwegian soccer team playing in the current FIFA tournament whose surname is Ryerson! Lynn Noted that there are Ryersons the Curve Lake First Nation; one member, but who has not attended a meeting. Lynn would like to visit the FN to see if any are interested in taking part in the Port Credit Commemoration. Anyone who would like to go please contact her.
Peter Wyatt mentioned that one reason Indigenous presence is desirable is to build relationships. Institutions may be prepared to roll back condemnations of Ryerson only when Indigenous people are among those requesting it.
The meeting closed with cheery goodbyes.
A date for the next meeting was set for September 13th at 4 pm.