Toronto City Councillor calls for removal of 'white and male' politicians from Canadian currency

Toronto City Councillor Paul Ainslie put forward a motion calling for a change to Canadian money to remove its "white and male" politicians, according to True North.

The "Diversification of Depictions on Canadian Coins and Bills to better reflect a more Heterogeneous and Inclusive Society" motion calls for a more "heterogeneous and inclusive society."

The motion, Ainslie says, "speaks to our currency being overrepresented by politicians, most of whom are white and male, underrepresenting persons who have contributed to other fields of great importance to our society."

"Our currency does not reflect our current multiracial, gender diverse and multicultural reality as a nation."

City Hall has previously made strong efforts to remove the legacy of "colonizers" in Canada.

In July of last year, City Hall presented four options for the renaming of Dundas Street, one of Toronto's main arteries and historic streets, due to its ties to what activists say is systemic racism.

"Considering the renaming of Dundas Street is just the beginning of the work we need to do to build a Toronto where we all belong," Mayor said Mayor John Tory in a press release issued Tuesday.

"I appreciate the thoughtful and thorough research and analysis that has gone into this briefing note by city staff and look forward to the working group's future recommendations."

The street's namesake, Henry Dundas, was a vocal obstructionist in the abolishment of slavery during his career in politics more than 200 years ago.