PRESS RELEASE: FNLC Calls on Canada to Prioritize Legislation to Create Legal Protections against Residential School Denialism
The following press release from the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), headquartered in Vancouver contains a strident call to punish anyone daring to question the established indigenous characterization of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. In particular, it demands that all Canadians accept as absolutely true the following totally false or grossly exaggerated assertions about the origin, history, operation, and legacy of the Indian Residential Schools:
Most Indian children attended residential schools.
These children were compelled to attend a residential school by federal policy and enforcement.
Thousands of these children are “missing” because they were never heard from again.
These missing children are buried in unmarked graves underneath or around mission churches and schools.
Many of these missing children were murdered by school personnel after being subjected to physical and sexual abuse, even outright torture.
The carnage is appropriately defined as genocide.
Many human remains have already been located by ground-penetrating radar, and many more will be found as government-funded research progresses.
Attendance at residential school has traumatized indigenous people, creating social pathologies that descend across generations.
Residential schools destroyed Indigenous languages and culture.
Each of these assertions have carefully and thoroughly been debunked by informed researchers here, here, here, here, and here.
Before or after reading the FNLC news release, please also read or re-read the following two takes on these issues:
A Critique of "The Dangerous Allure of Residential School Denialism"
Please find below an additional critique of Michelle Cyca's The Dangerous Allure of Residential School Denialism, following the one posted two days ago by Michelle Stirling.
THE DANGEROUS ALLURE OF OMITTING FACTS AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT ON RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
An outstanding piece, posted with no paywall, by Michelle Stirling, critiquing a deeply flawed and biased opinion piece about “residential school denialism” published by The Walrus on May 4, 2023, th…
FIRST NATIONS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (FNLC)
News Release
March 20, 2025
FNLC Calls on Canada to Prioritize Legislation to Create Legal Protections against Residential School Denialism
(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) is deeply concerned by the rise of Residential School denialism in the province, particularly the egregious misuse of public office by elected officials using their platforms to sow public doubt and promote misinformation and anti-Indigenous racism. The FNLC calls for the government of Canada to prioritize implementation of federal legislation to protect against Residential School denialism, as has been done with Bill C-19 which criminalized Holocaust denialism in Canada.
First Nations leadership across B.C. have passed resolutions at the B.C. Assembly of First Nations and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs calling for the rights and testimony of survivors to be upheld, implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, rejection and criminalization of Residential School denialism, and denouncing recent comments made by then-Conservative MLA Dallas Brodie regarding unmarked graves and burial sites at the Kamloops Indian Residential School (UBCIC Resolution 2024-33; BCAFN #02/2025) A similar resolution will go forward to the next First Nations Summit meeting in April.
We commend MP Leah Gazan for introducing the Private Member’s Bill C-413 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of hatred against Indigenous peoples), which aimed to criminalize Residential School denialism, and hold individuals accountable for spreading hateful speech and misinformation about the Residential School system and Indigenous people. We feel strongly that legislation is needed to combat misinformation, denialism, and racism promoted by elected officials and hate groups. We urge the government of Canada to uphold its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the principles of reconciliation, and urge all members of Parliament to work across party lines to make it an offence to promote hatred against Indigenous peoples by condoning, denying, downplaying, or justifying Residential Schools in Canada or misrepresenting related facts.
"The language and actions of publicly elected officials significantly shape societal attitudes, influence public perceptions, and have the power to either foster understanding and healing or perpetuate division In her statements, MLA Brodie showed blatant disrespect for her position in public office by promoting harmful Residential School denialism on her social media. We are glad Mr. Rustad has removed MLA Brodie from the Conservative Party and believe that she is unfit to sit as an MLA in the legislature. It is essential that the governments of BC and Canada take a strong stance against Residential School denialism, by rightfully recognizing this harmful rhetoric as hate speech. Political leaders must acknowledge the gravity of traumas endured by Indigenous peoples at these institutions and must engage with First Nations and respectfully honour the stories of survivors. As a society we must foster dialogue that supports reconciliation, as all political leaders in BC work to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” stated B.C Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief, Terry Teegee.
“Residential School denialists try to hide facts from the public. They intentionally fail to acknowledge or mention the dozens of people convicted of, or who have pled guilty to, sexually and/or physically assaulting First Nations children in Residential Schools. They also neglect to speak about the thousands of abusers located by multiple private investigation firms contracted by the Federal Government,” said Hugh Braker of the First Nations Summit Political Executive. “These denialists purposely reject the words of the BC Supreme Court Judge, who at the sentencing of offender Henry Plint to 11 years in prison, stated that Residential Schools were ‘…factories for child abuse’ and that ‘the Federal Government has admitted that up to 6,000 Indian Residential School children died in Residential School.’”
“Denying or ignoring the truth about one of the most horrendous parts of Canada’s history is an obstacle to reconciliation and does nothing except cause residential school survivors’ additional pain and suffering,” Braker concluded.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President concluded, “Indigenous peoples have been combating racism and suppression of our knowledge from the highest levels of government since the establishment of Canada, so it comes as no surprise that denialist views which aim to minimize the harms of Residential Schools and intentionally mislead and embolden the public against us endure within our public institutions. Residential School denialism is not about academic debate or questioning history in good faith, it is an ugly and thinly veiled attempt to sow doubt, belittle the experiences of survivors, and distort our shared knowledge from survivors and archival and archaeological research which detail the profound intergenerational harms of these institutions. I implore the current, and any subsequent government of Canada, to take bold legislative action to protect against the spread of dangerous anti-Indigenous racism and denialist rhetoric in equal measure to Holocaust denialism protections. We need only look to our southern neighbours to see the harrowing impacts of leaving hate unchecked.”
The First Nations Leadership Council is comprised of the political executives of the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), First Nations Summit (FNS), and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC).
For further information, contact:
Hugh Braker, FNS Political Executive, Phone: 604-812-2632
Annette Schroeter, BCAFN Communications Officer: 778-281-1655
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, Phone: 250-490-5314
***
https://www.bcafn.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/2025March20_FNLC_ResidentialSchoolDenialismLaw_PR_FNLC.pdf
What the chiefs are demanding in essence is the right to rewrite Canadian history to fit their narrative. I think Trudeau would have let them do it - Eby definitely. Let’s see what Carney and Poilievre do. To date, both of them have disappointed
I taught at Grouard in 1968-69 and had a positive experience with the local people and enjoyed the varied school population. Those students in the residence failed to return after Christmas so my class was much depleted. The woodwork shop and automotive bays never had any students enrolled during the year. Both areas were as well equipped and modern as equivalents in Edmonton and Vancouver Island where I had my teaching experience. St. Michaels in Alert Bay ,BC. was not operating in 1990 when I was working for the Whe La La Lu, a small sub reserve contained within the main Namgis reserve. However I was asked by X. to go into the shuttered school and make an observation as to whether it would make good offices for the band council. This I did. The mechanical room was devoid of machinery but contained a laundromat. It was dry and warm. The main school area was in good building code condition with design for school use. Hallways were wide and ceilings high in which forced air ducts could be used for heating. Stairs had a low rise and wide tread and were therefore as safe as any stairs could be. Wood materials were first growth fir with excellent hardware. Louvered windows provided fresh air. The building was every bit as good as those I have worked in elsewhere in Western Canada and I duly reported so. The question to ask is " why was so much effort made to provide an excellent educational building for indigenous peoples?" Yes , the powers that be cared for their charges and made sure that the physical experience would !as good as elsewhere in Canada! From my readings the educational experience was just as good. One must also ask about the default position." What was the alternative to a modern school?" Yes the grinding of igneous stones into tools while wearing cedar bark clothing.{ coastal situation.} Much good was done by the progressive Western culture enhanced by the comparatively recent industrial and agricultural revolution with the overarching great enlightenment movement. The introduction of steel tools led to the blossoming of the indigenous talent of working wood for cultural masks and the massive statements made with totem poles. Captain Cook and Meares made no record by their artist chroniclers of the massive poles we are so familiar with now. While acknowledging the West is on indigenous land could we not state at the same time that Western culture has had an elevating effect on indigenous lives? Reconciling is the coming together and understanding of both parties positions, both good and bad and the melding and enhancement which often is the outcome. When Polivere came to Duncan I talked to him about the indigenous stand and asked for an examination and reckoning of the total situation. He did not reply. If any reckoning accurately is carried out the consequences will be massive and the longer it is put off the greater the effect. It will come. Ben Town Crier, 57th. Regiment of Foot