MONTREAL - A Montreal borough has followed through on a controversial plan to rename a park that honoured Vimy Ridge to instead pay tribute to late sovereigntist premier Jacques Parizeau.
A ceremony was held in Outremont on Sunday to officially rechristen the park after Parizeau, who died last year at the age of 84.
Critics blasted the name change when it was approved in June, saying it was disrespectful of Canada's war history.
Former interim federal Liberal leader Bob Rae was one of many people who took to Twitter to denounce the decision, calling it "an insult pure and simple."
Parizeau, who led the Yes side to a narrow defeat in the 1995 sovereignty referendum, lived near the park for much of his life.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre recently announced that a portion of another city park would be renamed to honour the 1917 battle of Vimy Ridge.
