Turner the hockey player was a white guy from Regina.
Turner the recreation director was a black guy from New Jersey who broke a colour barrier. He became Ontario's first black recreation director. In fact, he just might have been the first black recreation director in not only Canada, but all of North America.
Remember now, this was a period in U.S. history when blacks were not allowed to drink from "white only" public fountains, enter "white only" restaurants and could not attend "white only" schools.
However, when it came to sending blacks to fight (and die) in Vietnam, the colour barrier was lifted.
Turner broke the colour barrier when the town of Colborne (population 1,500) hired him as its first recreation director in 1954.
Four years later, Cornwall hired him as its first recreation director.
It was a bold step for a lily-white community that in 1960 had its share of rednecks.
Turner was a graduate of New York City University (bachelor of physical education), spent a season with the Chicago White Sox one year after the courageous Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's colour barrier and toured for one season with the Harlem Globetrotters.
His legacy is a recreation program that is second to none in the small city category.
He laid the foundation.
Sadly, Turner never got to see the seeds that he sowed grow into what we have today.
He died, at age 35, on April 23, 1962.
His heart stopped during a minor operation at Cornwall General Hospital.
He was revived, but spent several days in a coma before passing away with his wife Dorris, his mom and two aunts at his bedside.
Thousands filed past his casket in St. Paul's United Church.
He is buried in Athens, Ont.
A few weeks after his death, city council voted unanimously to name the new recreation centre that was built during his tenure after him: the Bob Turner Memorial Centre.
A bronze bust of Bob Turner was commissioned by council and placed in the showcase in the centre's lobby.
The bust for some unexplained reason has been mothballed and next year the centre will be torn down.
City council has refused to name one of the ice pads in the new Benson Centre after Turner.
They either don't understand the historical significance of Turner's tenure, or ...
One councillor scoffed at the notion of naming an ice pad (the names have been sold off) after Turner .
"If he (Turner) hadn't been black, they would never have named it (centre) after him," the councillor told this scribbler.
Yes, and if Jackie Robinson hadn't been black nobody would have named a school after him.
Like Robinson, our Bob Turner helped tear down a barrier.
By hiring Bob Turner, the city council of the day made Cornwall a model of racial tolerance, at a time when racism, especially in hiring, was discreetly practised in this country.
Many residents of Colborne (near Belleville) attended his funeral (in Cornwall).
A few days later one of them wrote a letter to the Colborne weekly newspaper: "Bob's life had known no limits and his deeds would be a living memorial to every man, woman and child who had known him. We, from Colborne, listened and how vividly we could recall the fine things this man had also done for our town."
The parent of a band member said Turner was "a man who had an enormous impact on the young people of the village (Colborne)."
An editorial in the Standard-Freeholder said, "Bob Turner was one of Cornwall's most popular city officials, particularly with children. Since coming to Cornwall, Mr. Turner organized and correlated physical, social and cultural activities in a recreation program which has been described as one of the best in the province."
Mayor Nick Kaneb said of Turner, "He often went beyond the line of duty in performing his duties."
While this community, sadly, seems to have swept Bob Turner's memory/legacy under the rug, or at least is doing a pretty good job at trying to do just that, his legacy is alive and well in Colborne.
In 2009, when the local marching band, which Turner nurtured while recreation director, held its anniversary, his widow and two daughters were the town's guests of honour.
We keep hearing that the city council plans to keep Bob Turner's name alive with some sort of plaque at the new Benson Centre.
Sounds like a shameful downgrade from having your name on a recreation centre, but, nevertheless, city council missed an opportunity to tie this kind of announcement to its proclamation of Black History Month.
(Le français suit / French follows…)
To Allies,
September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists - Canada (CBTU) community stands in solidarity with Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island. We honour the survivors of residential schools, remember the children who never returned home, and recognize the enduring strength, resilience, leadership, and sovereignty of Indigenous communities.
We also recognize that the history of Indigenous peoples and Nations has never been defined by the borders imposed through colonization. Long before the creation of Canada and the drawing of colonial boundaries, Indigenous Nations had their own territories, laws, governance, cultures, languages, and relationships with the land. These imposed borders are part of a colonial system that disrupted and continues to impact Indigenous peoples, communities, and Nations.
As displaced peoples of African descent, we acknowledge the generations of Indigenous peoples who have cared for and stewarded these lands for thousands of years. We recognize that reconciliation requires more than words—it demands truth, accountability, justice, and meaningful action.
The adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) by the UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007, affirmed the rights of Indigenous peoples and provides an important framework for advancing reconciliation. When the declaration was first adopted, Canada voted against UNDRIP. Canada changed their position over time through advocacy.
The Grassy Narrows River Run protest on September 23, 2026, reminds us that environmental justice and Indigenous rights remain urgent and ongoing concerns.
As we recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CBTU-Canada acknowledges that, a decade after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released its 94 Calls to Action significant work remains to be done. Many of those calls are not yet fulfilled, underscoring the urgent need for governments, institutions, and the labour movement to move beyond words and take meaningful action.
We encourage our members and allies to learn, listen, and take action in support of Indigenous rights and justice. We also recognize the importance of resources such as the Canadian Labour Congress Indigenous Rights and Justice Resource Center in strengthening education and solidarity within the labour movement.
Truth must lead to justice. Reconciliation must lead to action.
In solidarity,
The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) - Canada
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À nos alliés,
Le 30 septembre, en cette Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, la communauté de la Coalition des syndicalistes Noirs (CBTU) exprime sa solidarité avec les nations Autochtones de toute l’île de la Tortue. Nous rendons hommage aux survivants des pensionnats, nous nous souvenons des enfants qui ne sont jamais rentrés chez eux et nous reconnaissons la force, la résilience, le leadership et la souveraineté inébranlables des communautés Autochtones.
Nous reconnaissons également que les peuples et les nations Autochtones n’ont jamais été définis par les frontières imposées par la colonisation. Bien avant la création du Canada et le tracé des frontières coloniales, les nations Autochtones avaient leurs propres territoires, lois, modes de gouvernance, cultures, langues et liens avec la terre. Ces frontières imposées font partie d’un système colonial qui a bouleversé et continue d’avoir des répercussions sur les peuples, les communautés et les nations Autochtones.
En tant que peuples déplacés d’origine Africaine, nous rendons hommage aux générations de peuples Autochtones qui ont pris soin de ces terres et en ont assuré la gestion pendant des milliers d’années. Nous reconnaissons que la réconciliation exige plus que des mots : elle exige la vérité, la responsabilisation, la justice et des mesures concrètes.
L’adoption de la Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits des peuples Autochtones (UNDRIP) par l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies le 13 septembre 2007 a affirmé les droits des peuples Autochtones et fournit un cadre important pour faire avancer la réconciliation. Lors de l’adoption de cette déclaration, le Canada a voté contre l’UNDRIP, puis ont revu leur position pour l'accepter.
La prochaine manifestation « Grassy Narrows River Run », prévue le 23 septembre 2026, nous rappelle que la justice environnementale et les droits des peuples Autochtones demeurent des enjeux urgents et persistants.
À l’occasion de la Journée nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation, le CBTU-Canada reconnaît que, dix ans après la publication par la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation de ses 94 appels à l’action, un travail considérable reste à accomplir. Bon nombre de ces appels n’ont pas encore été mis en œuvre, ce qui souligne le besoin urgent pour les gouvernements, les institutions et le mouvement syndical d’aller au-delà des paroles et de prendre des mesures concrètes.
Nous encourageons nos membres et nos alliés à s’informer, à écouter et à agir en faveur des droits et de la justice Autochtones. Nous reconnaissons également l’importance de ressources telles que le Centre de ressources sur les droits et la justice autochtones pour renforcer l’éducation et la solidarité au sein du mouvement syndical.
La vérité doit mener à la justice. La réconciliation doit mener à l’action.
En solidarité,
La Coalition des syndicalistes Noirs (CBTU) – Canada
August 31, 2026
Today, August 31, we join people around the world in recognizing the United Nations’ International Day for People of African Descent.
Today is a day to celebrate our history, resilience, achievements and contributions. But it is also a day to confront history honestly.
For the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) - Canada, recognition must be accompanied by truth, accountability and action.
Canada has a history connected to the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and the institution of slavery. That history must be acknowledged—not to assign guilt to Canadians today, but to recognize the truth of what happened and understand its continuing consequences.
An apology cannot undo the past. But it can acknowledge the truth, honour those who suffered, and help establish a foundation for meaningful reconciliation and justice.
The United Nations has made clear that the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade demands recognition, justice and action.
Nations have a responsibility to ensure the full and equal treatment, dignity and protection of people of African descent in the societies and countries they have profoundly contributed to building and developing economically. This responsibility includes strengthening laws, policies and institutions to eliminate the racial discrimination, inequality and systemic barriers that continue to affect people of African descent, including in countries where they were brought through enslavement, forced migration or other forms of coercion. Recognition of these contributions must be accompanied by concrete measures to protect human rights, advance equality and address the enduring consequences of racial injustice.
Canada should not stand outside that conversation.
On this International Day for People of African Descent, CBTU Canada renews its call:
Canada must recognize its history.
Canada must acknowledge its responsibility.
Canada must apologize.
Remembering must lead to recognition.
Recognition must lead to accountability.
And accountability must lead to action.
CBTU Canada remains committed to the campaign for recognition, justice and an official federal apology.
In solidarity
The Executive Board of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) - Canada
(Le français suit / French follows…)
August 23 is more than a date. It is a day to remember the courage, resistance and determination of those who challenged a system built on the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and their descendants.
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition reminds us that history is not simply something to be remembered; it is something that continues to shape the societies we live in today. The legacy of slavery is reflected in the institutions, policies, inequalities and experiences that continue to affect Black communities.
Remembrance must therefore be accompanied by recognition, accountability and action. Honouring those who resisted slavery means confronting the historical realities that continue to influence the present and ensuring that future generations inherit a more just society.
This is why the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists–Canada continues to call on the Government of Canada to acknowledge its role in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans and to issue a formal federal apology. Our national apology campaign is part of a broader effort to advance recognition, accountability and reparatory justice.
On August 23rd, we remember those who endured. We honour those who resisted. And we recommit ourselves to the work of building a future grounded in justice, equality and dignity for all.
In remembrance. In recognition. In action.
The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Canada Executive Board
