Lionel-Groulx metro station in Montreal could be renamed after Oscar Peterson in light of the anti-Semitism of the Quebec historian it's currently named after.

A petition to rename the station has almost reached its goal of 7,500 signatures as sentiment grows to remove names and images glorifying racist historical figures and racial stereotypes from brands, buildings, trophies and more.

Agreed Oscar Peterson Station would be a WAY BETTER name than Lionel-Groulx in Montreal: https://t.co/v0Nw0TAya5 Had NO IDEA about Groulx`s vapid antisemitism or that Peterson grew up so close the station. #Montreal #Antisemitism pic.twitter.com/lMCwJAxRtj

— Maurie Ryan Jacobs (@jacobsjapan) June 21, 2020

Lionel Groulx was at the forefront of the Quebec nationalist discourse, but is also widely known to have held anti-Semitic opinions, including being against the immigration of Jewish people into Quebec and wanting to boycott Jewish businesses.

Renaming Lionel Groulx station after Oscar Peterson would simultaneously erase the stain of anti-Semitism while elevating the greatest musician this city had produced to rightful stature.
Let's get it done.

— Jack Todd (@jacktodd46) June 20, 2020

Conversely, Oscar Peterson is a jazz pianist with a career spanning over 60 years who grew up in Montreal's Little Burgundy neighbourhood.

yes, Lionel-Groulx métro name needs to change, community has been calling for this for years now, métro Oscar Peterson, att. @projetmontreal !

— Stefan Christoff (@spirodon) June 20, 2020

"I believe our city should honour the incredible accomplishments that Oscar Peterson achieved by renaming Lionel Groulx metro station as Oscar Peterson metro station," reads the petition. 

Yes. Lionel-Groulx was a notorious anti-semite. I can't think of anyone better to honour than Oscar Peterson.

— Patrick Wight (@PatrickWight1) June 20, 2020

"This allows Montréal to celebrate the legacy of a man who has proudly represented our city on the international stage and allows our city to celebrate the beautiful cultural diversity and representation that black Montrealers bring to our city."

My fellow Montrealers sign this petition to change the name of Lionel-Groulx metro station into Oscar Peterson!

If O.P. being a Montreal-born legendary Black musician isn’t enough motivation, how about the fact that Lionel-Groulx was an anti Semite! https://t.co/pvITrubDS2

— Fatima Tokhmafshan (she/her) 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 (@DeNovo_Fatima) June 20, 2020

Efforts to change the name of the station extend back as far as 1996, and changing the name to Oscar Peterson has been suggested since 2008. There's also a Facebook group dedicated to the cause.

There's been a moratorium on station name changes for the past 14 years, however, according to the STM.