Indigenous leaders slam residential school denialism from Vancouver MLA
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) says it’s deeply concerned about residential school denialism after a tweet from Conservative B.C. MLA Dallas Brodie.
Brodie, who represents the Vancouver-Quilchena riding, took to X this week to share her doubts about children’s bodies found at a B.C. residential school in 2021. The remains of more than 200 children were found near Kamloops, sparking searches at other former residential schools across the country.
Brodie suggested no bodies had been found.
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UBCIC said it’s appalled by her comments, calling her tweet an attempt to distort facts.
“This type of ‘truth-seeking’ rhetoric is nothing more than a smokescreen for anti-Indigenous racism,” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said in a news release. “Ms. Brodie’s picking and choosing of which facts to scrutinize is a misuse of her power in public office and demonstrates her bias and a profound disrespect for survivors of Residential Schools.”
Members of Brodie’s own party have also spoken out against her.
“Inform yourself, get the latest facts, research AND talk to survivors,” Conservative MLA for Chilliwack-Cultus Lake, Á’a:líya Warbus, tweeted. “Questioning the narratives of people who lived and survived these atrocities is nothing but harmful and taking us backward in reconciliation.”
Daily Hive has reached out to the B.C. Conservative Party for comment but has not yet heard back.