B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad is under pressure to condemn a comment made by a caucus aide regarding the Survivors’ flag, dedicated to survivors of residential schools, which was labeled as a “disgrace” and a “fake flag.” On Thursday, various NDP, Conservative, and Green MLAs raised the Survivors’ flag at the legislature in Victoria in preparation for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.
Lindsay Shepherd, a communications staff member for the B.C. Conservative caucus, expressed on social media that the Orange Shirt and the Orange Flag perpetuate falsehoods about Canadian history, citing the alleged misconception surrounding the discovery of children’s graves in Kamloops as a prime example. Shepherd criticized the display of the flag and the shirt near the coat of arms at the provincial parliament, prompting a swift deletion of the post after posting.
Rohini Arora, NDP MLA for Burnaby East, shared a screenshot of Shepherd’s post and urged B.C. Conservative MLAs to reject such denial of the harsh realities of residential schools. Calls for action were made, especially referencing Dallas Brodie’s case, demanding accountability.
Despite attempts to contact Rustad and Shepherd for comment, no response was received. Ryan Painter, a spokesperson for the caucus, refrained from commenting on the situation or Shepherd’s current employment status. However, Conservative MLA Scott McInnis emphasized the party’s support for Residential School survivors and the importance of truth and reconciliation in shaping a hopeful future for the upcoming generations.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip criticized the comments made by Shepherd and called for her dismissal, labeling the denial of residential schools as a “racist sickness.” Similarly, former B.C. Green MLA Adam Olsen condemned the remarks as “vile” and expressed concern over the politicization of Indigenous reconciliation by Rustad.
In a separate incident, Rustad previously expelled Brodie from the Conservative caucus for belittling former residential school students’ testimonies. Brodie refuted accusations of residential school denial, clarifying her stance on the Kamloops site findings.
In 2021, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada reported over 4,100 documented deaths of children in residential schools due to various causes, highlighting widespread abuse and characterizing the system as a “cultural genocide.” The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation initially reported the discovery of 215 children’s remains at the Kamloops school site, later revising the terminology used to describe the findings as “potential burial sites” and then “anomalies.”
