Meet the man who gave Calgary its name

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Every city has a story behind its name, and Calgary's history begins with Colonel James McLeod, who was the commissioner of the North West Police, or NWMP (the forerunner of the RCMP). The city got its name from McLeod, but we weren't the first “Calgary” in the world.

The NWMP established a fort in 1875 at the confluence of the Sadak and Shyntak rivers. Before that, several indigenous peoples who lived here for centuries referred to the area as “elbow” in their language, a reference to the area's unique bend. waterways where two rivers meet. But NWMP Inspector, Ephraim-A. Brisbois decided to name the site after him and call it Fort Brisbois. This did not sit well with his superiors, Major Acheson Irwin and Colonel James McLeod. McLeod proposed an alternative name for Calgary.

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There is a Calgary Hamlet on the Isle of Mull across the ocean in Scotland. It has a nice beach in Calgary and it attracted McLeod when he visited Britain one summer, McLeod was born in Scotland but moved to Canada with his family when he was nine years old. This inspired a new name for our community and in 1876 Fort Calgary became the official name of the area.

The name McLeod itself also became a place name in Alberta; Fort McLeod in southern Alberta is named after him, as is the McLeod Trail, a major road in Calgary. McLeod was not honored for his work at the NWMP; he was also a lawyer, magistrate and politician who influenced the development of this part of the world 140 years ago.

When Alberta celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005, the local branch of the RCMP Veterans Association donated a statue of McLeod to the city at the Fort Calgary Historic Site. A similar statue was unveiled at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa that same year. Here's a story published at the time by author, photojournalist and former Calgary Herald reporter David Bly.

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Colonel Macleod statue unveiled in Ottawa: Mount 'ruled with honour'

Calgary Herald
November 8, 2005
Page: B3
In writing: David Bly

The man who called Calgary home and whose ideals shaped the mountains will be honored Friday with the unveiling of a statue of him at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa.

Also stands as a memorial to RCMP officers was killed A larger-than-life statue of Colonel James McLeod in the line of duty is a bronze replica designed and cast by Don and Shirley Begg's Western Studio in Cochrane.

The original opened at Fort Calgary on September 1, as a centennial gift to Calgarians from the local branch of the RCMP Veterans Association. At the same ceremony, RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli announced that the second casting of the statue would be installed in Ottawa.

Among those attending the unveiling will be retired mountaineers Gus Buziak and Walter Sadler, who came up with the idea for the statue; Toby Lawrence, Macleod excellent– grandson; and Sarah-Jane Greitzner and Terry McCoy of Fort Calgary.

McLeod became Assistant Commissioner and later Commissioner of the newly formed North West Police. He also had a distinguished career as a magistrate and judge, serving as the first in Fort McLeod. He was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories in 1893, but died a few months after moving to Calgary. He was buried in the city Union cemetery.

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His values, integrity, fairness and compassion not only shaped the NWMP, which eventually became the RCMP, but set the example for justice in Western Canada.

Historians give him great credit for the relatively peaceful and orderly settlement of the region. He treated the natives as equals and whenever possible blended their traditional justice with British justice.

“Many military officers and mounted police officers were British in those days.– said Buziak. “They buy their commissions and they manage fear. They did not respectfully command; Macleod was led with respect. He was ahead of his time.»

This was said by Lawrence, the former president of the Fort Calgary board excellent– To do what his grandfather did, he had to go through strict British traditions.

“I think the way he approached the negotiations – with compromise and compassion – is an interesting process emerging in the Canadian psyche today.” he said.

Buziak and Sadler were on their way to a meeting of RCMP vets when they came up with the idea for the statue as a centennial gift to Calgary from the former Highlands.

“McLeod named Fort Calgary and the city began here,– said Buziak.

It was a huge undertaking for a group that was not used to fundraising.

“We usually just sit back and lie about it Good past days– said Buziak.

But there was an idea was accepted without hesitation, and in less than three years the ex-Mountain raised nearly $300,000 and erected the statue.

Lawrence is a pride A day for Macleod's descendants when the statue was unveiled at Fort Calgary. Opening in Ottawa, he said:it's the icing on the cake.»

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