Cape Breton Gaelic College Foundation members vote against royal designation

CTV Atlantic: Gaelic college votes against ‘royal’ The royal row over the name change at the Cape Breton Gaelic College is sparking up again after foundation members voted down the idea.

The royal row over the name change at the Cape Breton Gaelic College is sparking up again.

The college’s foundation members have voted down the idea of adding the prefix “royal” to the school’s name.

Dennis Laffan is among the Cape Breton Gaelic College Foundation members who voiced their opposition Sunday, in what he calls an emotional meeting with the school’s board of directors.

“I think it was a big wakeup call for the board members,” says Laffan. “I don’t think they had anticipated the level of distrust of the board, for starters and the level of animosity to a planned name change for the college.”

The college has received plenty of backlash since approving the Queen’s designation in the fall; some in the Gaelic community feel it is only a royal reminder of centuries-old oppression at the hands of the monarchy.

In a nearly two-to-one margin of rejection, 45 foundation members voted against the name change, compared to 23 in favour. The rejection from those with a direct stake in the school in the form of a formal vote is something the college says it must strongly consider.

“The foundation did decide to reject the royal designation, but again, this is advice to the board. Now, it is up to the board to make a decision based upon that advice,” says Cape Breton Gaelic College CEO Rodney MacDonald.

Laffan says approving the name change without consulting the foundation in the first place is a symptom of a broader problem.

“That they have no responsibility to the foundation, they do what they like, that is the underlying issue here,” says Laffan.

“Foundation members are an important voice for the college. The board values their input,” says MacDonald. “That being said, the responsibility lies with the board to make these decisions.”

MacDonald says the board will meet to discuss any possible decision, but he doesn’t know when that will happen.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald