TORONTO, ON – Old Tomorrow Brewing has announced that as part of “embracing reconciliation efforts with Canada’s Indigenous people,” it has officially changed its name to Tomorrow Brew Co. effective September 2nd.
The controversial history of the original name and impetus for the change is explained as follows:
We started as a family business back in 2014 with the simple goal of bringing Canadians together and celebrating what is great about Canada through new, locally-brewed craft beers that reflect Canada’s unique identity and culture. As proud Canadians, we chose the name “Old Tomorrow” for three symbolic reasons.
First, it was one of Sir John A. Macdonald’s many nicknames and he was a key figure in Canada’s Confederation. Second, our company was founded by a mother & son team and “Old Tomorrow” spoke to our sense of legacy and inter-generational partnership. And finally, “Old Tomorrow” conveyed a sense of history while working to build a better tomorrow.
However, since our founding, there has been considerable learning and understanding about Sir John A’s role in the creation of the Residential School system and the horrible impacts that system has had and continues to have on the Indigenous people and communities within Canada.
We believe that it’s crucial for all Canadians to learn from the past … and to undertake action to forge a better future. We seek to move our company forward in a direction that embraces all people living within Canada, especially Canada’s Indigenous people. We regret that our company name “Old Tomorrow” has offended some people, as this was not our intention and we are sorry for our ignorance.
As part of this rebranding, the image of Sir John A. Macdonald that appeared on the packaging of several Old Tomorrow beers has been removed from the new Tomorrow Brew Co. cans. The company is also retiring its flagship Canadian Pale Ale, although other brands such as Monty’s Aged Ryed Ale and Honey Ginger Shandy will remain with their same names and recipes in the new packages.
Owners Pat and Ian Macdonald also note that they fully support the 94 Calls to Action in the Truth & Reconciliation Report, and will be “advocating to the federal government to take action” and “contributing to positive dialogue on actions we can all undertake for reconciliation and encourage others to review and support these Calls to Action.”
In addition, the company plans to “engage with Indigenous Communities to understand how we can support their priorities while being sensitive to historical legacy and the role alcohol has played in Canada’s colonial history” as part of its Brew Aid charity beer series.
For more details, see the full announcement on the Tomorrow Brew Co. website.
Source & Photo: Tomorrow Brew Co.