In an Interview with CFNR News, British Columbia’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Spencer Chandra Herbert, reflected on the 10 years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report, noting the recent rise in anti-Indigenous rhetoric and residential school denialism.
‘I think it’s shameful that some political parties in BC have made room for residential school denialism, either looking the other way or full-throated supporting it. I think it’s clear that we stand it down, we stare it down, we don’t let it grow in this Province. And we’ll do what we can to support the removal of MLAs who spread that kind of hatred.’ – British Columbia’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Spencer Chandra Herbert
Minister Chandra Herbert also condemned both the creation of ‘Making a Killing’, and it’s screening within the BC legislature earlier this month by the OneBC party, referring to it as a ‘home movie of hate’, and called it appalling.
‘I was appalled that that was ever allowed to be shown in the room that it was within the Legislature… and I let the Speaker know that. I just don’t think it was appropriate that this party could do this. But, you know, if they want to watch their home movie project of hate within their own private office that’s one thing, but to parade it out there in such a setting, I don’t think it was appropriate.’ – British Columbia’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Spencer Chandra Herbert
Minister Chandra Herbert adamantly expressed that hate has no place within the BC Legislature, and he will continue to pursue efforts to see MLA’s who encourage and incite it removed from their role. On the 10-year anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report and their 94 calls to action, Minister Chandra Herbert released a joint statement with Charlene Belleau, a residential school survivor, and B.C. First Nations community liaison lead, where he praised Belleau’s work and reiterated that true Reconciliation is a shared responsibility.
The pair also affirmed that, based on the testimonies of survivors, the Commission had determined that the Residential School system in Canada was a systematic effort of cultural genocide.
‘The steady rise of residential school denialism in B.C. is deeply concerning. The TRC concluded that residential schools were a system of cultural genocide. Thousands of children died or never returned home, and survivors live with intergenerational trauma that continues to impact generations today.’ – Part of a joint statement released by BC’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Minister Chandra Herbert and Charlene Belleau, residential school survivor and B.C. First Nations community liaison lead
Minister Chandra Herbert stressed that denying the facts of the matter only serves to retraumatize survivors, and detracts from the heart wrenching testimonies they had delivered to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission a decade ago.
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