Senate Committee Votes to Criminalize Residential School ‘Denialism’ Under Bill C-9
The Senate Human Rights Committee voted to amend the Liberal government’s anti-hate Bill C-9, proposing to make Indian residential school denialism a criminal offence. Sen. Nancy Karetak-Lindell, who introduced the amendment criminalizing the denial of the impact of residential schools, said the change is needed because of “growing anti-Indigenous racism, violence, and rhetoric surrounding the lasting harm of the Indian residential schools.” Karetak-Lindell, who attended a residential school in the Northwest Territories, said while she and her siblings had received an education, they “lost a chance to grow up in our culture, in our language.” As initially reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, the amended motion states that any Canadian who “by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, wilfully promotes hatred against Indigenous peoples by condoning, denying, downplaying or justifying the Indian residential school system” would be guilty of an indictable offense and liable to a jail term of up to two years, or a summary conviction.
Senate Committee Votes to Criminalize Residential School ‘Denialism’ Under Bill C-9 The Senate Human Rights Committee has voted to amend Bill C-9, proposing to criminalize the denial of the impact of Indian residential schools. Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell introduced the amendment, citing a need to address growing anti-Indigenous racism and rhetoric. The proposed change would make it an indictable offense to wilfully promote hatred against Indigenous peoples by condoning, denying, downplaying, or justifying the residential school system.
- Senate Human Rights Committee voted to amend Liberal government’s Bill C-9.
- Amendment proposes making Indian residential school denialism a criminal offense.
- Senator Nancy Karetak-Lindell introduced the amendment, citing increased anti-Indigenous racism and violence.
- The amendment targets communication that condones, denies, downplays, or justifies the residential school system.
- Conviction could lead to up to two years in jail.
- Senator Karetak-Lindell shared personal experience of cultural and linguistic loss due to attending a residential school.
No comments yet.
Write a comment