“Is there really a difference between Pierre Poilievre and Justin Trudeau when it comes to Canada’s Indian Residential Schools? The answer might surprise you. Both are guilty of a “grave error.”
Church burnings have become a tragic reality in Canada, with 96 Christian churches being vandalized, burned down, or desecrated since the discovery of graves near a residential school in Kamloops, B.C. on May 27, 2021. Amidst this turmoil, Pierre Poilievre, the newest Conservative leader, spoke out against the burning of these churches at a press conference in Vancouver. But his words echoed those of Justin Trudeau, showing little differentiation in their stance on Indigenous issues.
How did Trudeau handle the church burnings? Three weeks after the initial attacks, Trudeau called them “unacceptable and wrong,” but then justified them as “understandable,” citing anger against the federal government and the Catholic Church. This statement was met with widespread criticism and backlash, as it seemed to downplay the severity of the situation.
Additionally, both Poilievre and Trudeau failed to acknowledge the church burnings as hate crimes, a dim point that brought their responses into question. With no bodies found in the unmarked graves at residential schools, Poilievre called for a full investigation, emphasizing the importance of historical accuracy. However, his statements showcased a lack of understanding of the origins and operations of these schools.
The gravest error of all, made by both Trudeau and Poilievre, was the unanimous support for Leah Gazan’s motion calling on the federal government to recognize Canada’s residential schools as genocidal institutions without evidence or debate.
Hymie Rubenstein, editor of REAL Indigenous Report and a retired professor of anthropology at the University of Manitoba, emphasizes the necessity for both Trudeau and Poilievre to familiarize themselves with the history of Canada’s Indigenous schools. A neutral perspective on this matter may yield a broader understanding of the challenges faced by Indigenous people in Canada.
Ultimately, the similarities in their views raise important questions about the political handling of Indigenous issues and prompt a reflection on the past and present injustices against Indigenous communities.”
Reference
