BC Conservative Leader John Rustad defended Aaron Gunn, a right wing commentator who denied the Canadian government’s treatment of Indigenous people amounted to genocide.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission as well as Supreme Court Justice Beverley McLachlin found a “cultural genocide” occurred in Canada.

Gunn says they’re lying: “There was no genocide. Stop lying to people and read a book,” and “‘genocide’ doesn’t remotely reflect the reality of what happened.”

Gunn was disqualified from the BC Liberal leadership race due to views “inconsistent with the B.C. Liberal Party’s commitment to reconciliation, diversity and acceptance of all British Columbians.” (Vancouver Sun, 2021)

Conservative MLA Anna Kindy and Brennan Day’s letter defending Gunn argues residential schools “did not meet the threshold of ‘genocide’” and defended Gunn’s position as “hardly unreasonably” and “certainly not disqualifying.” (Twitter, 2024)

John Rustad still has not addressed Conservative MLA Sheldon Clare’s pattern of residential school denialism.

Sheldon Clare defended the mortality rate of residential schools and denied it amounted to genocide:

“I am tired of seeing high infant mortality due to TB and smallpox, etc., described as genocide.” (Facebook, 2021)

“A 25 percent mortality rate was the norm for aboriginal children in those times – whether at schools or not. It was ten percent for non-natives – whether it was at the schools or not.” (Facebook, 2021)

Clare blamed the spread of disease on “mixing incompatible tribal groups” and said the spread of TB, influenza, and smallpox were “tragic byproducts of these schools.” (Facebook, 2021)

According to National Post reporting, the death rate for kids in residential schools was comparable to Canadian POWs in the custody of Nazi Germany.

BC NDP MLA Christine Boyle: “While John Rustad attempts to shore up votes on his right flank, survivors suffer. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is clear that genocide occurred in Canada. For John Rustad and his MLAs to defend Aaron Gunn’s views on residential schools is disturbing. My heart goes out to residential school survivors, intergenerational survivors, their families, communities and all who live this pain. We believe you, and we will continue to work every day to bring truth to light.”