Statement – For Immediate Release
SURREY, BC – Today, I want to address the destructive and hurtful comments about the Indian Residential School System made by BC Conservative MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, Dallas Brodie, on her X account and in an online forum disputing the finding of mass graves at the former residential school in Kamloops. As an Indigenous person and Métis leader, I was shocked and dismayed by these hateful comments and false allegations made by Ms. Brodie.
By chance, Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) had a scheduled meeting last week with Ms. Brodie and BC Conservative Party staff. When I was informed of her hateful comments, I made the difficult decision to go ahead with the meeting and confront her about her false claims while underlining the harm these inaccurate statements have on Indigenous peoples across the country.
I am a survivor. My parents went to day school and my grandparents went to Residential Schools. They lived, but they did not survive. Everything they had was taken away in those schools, their language, their culture, the very essence of who they were and that deep connection to being Métis. We lost generations, both those who came home and those who did not.
In the meeting, I strongly conveyed this to Ms. Brodie. At first, she was unreceptive, and she claimed that her father had gone to boarding school and brought back trauma to her own family. Gradually, she seemed to accept what I was saying and how her comments were destructive to Indigenous communities.
Ms. Brodie offered me an apology, she acknowledged that her comments were hurtful, she shook my hand and hugged me. When she asked me how she should make amends, I told her that was for her to decide. I thought she was genuine, clearly, I was wrong.
Comments like these and disingenuous behavior by an elected official, have no place in our public discourse. The Indian Residential Schools destroyed our people. We suffered loss, we were disconnected to being Indigenous and we were left to rebuild. Now we are told by people like Ms. Brodie that it was not so bad. That we made up what happened, or our losses were not real. This is wrong and I will not listen to people who spread this misinformation. I will always stand up against them.
Today, I call on BC Conservative Leader John Rustad to stand up. Remove Dallas Brodie from the BC Conservative Caucus. In solidarity with my First Nations cousins, this type of discourse cannot go unchallenged. Mr. Rustad, make the right decision and be a leader for all.
On Behalf of the Board,
Walter Mineault, President
Métis Nation British Columbia
About Métis Nation British Columbia
Métis Nation British Columbia represents the section 35 rights of approx. 28,000 Métis citizens who are registered with MNBC and advocates for the over 98,000 self-identified Métis in British Columbia. MNBC represents thirty-nine (39) Métis Chartered Communities in British Columbia. MNBC’s mandate is to develop and enhance opportunities for Métis communities by implementing culturally relevant social and economic programs and services.
MNBC is recognized by the Government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. MNBC is the government for Métis in BC.
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