An event focused on residential school denialism is set for Powell River later this month.
Hosted by North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney, the event will allow community members to talk about the harms caused by residential school denialism, how it impacts survivors and communities, and how we can achieve truth and reconciliation.
Blaney says the discussion is about honouring the fact that residential school survivors or those related to survivors should not have to defend that those experiences happened.
“We collectively as a country must embrace the fact that residential schools happened and hold that as a collective truth,” said Blaney.
“It’s not debatable, and every time we act as though it’s debatable that it occurred, we are silencing the voices of people and their families and loved ones who went through that lived experience.”
Blaney will be joined by NDP MP Leah Gazan, who will talk about Bill C-413, a proposed bill aimed at stopping the promotion of hatred against Indigenous people.
Blaney hopes this event will allow people of all backgrounds to learn, engage, and reflect on how to honour survivors and keep truth at the centre of reconciliation efforts.
The event is for free, set at the Evergreen Theatre on January 20, starting at 5:00 p.m.
