Challenging Historical Revisionism: Countering Denialism of Residential School Atrocities With Legislation

In May 2021, the discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops triggered a nationwide outcry, with subsequent grave sites unveiling thousands more containing Indigenous children. In 2022, The House of Commons, in a unanimous decision, officially recognized the Indian Residential Schools as a genocide, a sentiment echoed by Pope Francis during his visit to Canada. Given this overwhelming evidence and the brutal history endured by Indigenous communities as a consequence of colonialism, one must question how anyone can continue to deny the atrocities of residential schools.

In the context of residential schools, denialism refers to the rejection or distortion of historical facts surrounding these institutions. The motivations behind denialism can vary, but they often stem from ignorance, bias, and ideological or political agendas. It is essential to acknowledge that denialism is not exclusive to the residential school issue and has been observed in other historical events and genocides worldwide.

Denialists entered the site without permission. Some came in the middle of the night, carrying shovels; they said they wanted to “see for themselves” if children are buried there. Said Kimberly Murray Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves

Murray was assigned the difficult task of figuring out how best to deal with the unmarked graves and honouring the victims. What remains of great concern is the level of denialism that exists in Canada surrounding Residential Schools. 

Denial of historical facts often stems from various motivations and perspectives. Some individuals may deny these facts due to deep-rooted prejudices and biases against Indigenous peoples, refusing to acknowledge the systemic injustices and suffering inflicted upon them. For these individuals, recognizing the atrocities challenges their sense of superiority or disrupts their preconceived notions about Canadian history. Others may simply lack proper education on the subject, falling victim to misinformation perpetuated by biased sources.

While the motivations may vary, it is essential to consider whether those who deny historical facts fully comprehend the harm they are causing. Denialism invalidates the experiences and pain of survivors and their families, disregarding their lived realities and denying them the recognition and empathy they deserve. Furthermore, denialism obstructs the path to truth, reconciliation, and justice, impeding efforts to address the historical injustices endured by Indigenous peoples. By denying these atrocities, individuals perpetuate systemic injustices and hinder the healing process sought by survivors and their communities.

Their actions undermine the healing, reconciliation, and justice process that survivors and their families seek. The harm caused by denialism is multifaceted. Firstly, it invalidates the experiences and pain of survivors and their families, disregarding their lived realities. Denialism denies them the recognition and empathy they deserve, compounding the trauma they have already endured.

Secondly, denialism obstructs the truth and reconciliation process, hindering efforts to address the historical injustices inflicted on Indigenous peoples. It undermines the importance of acknowledging and learning from past wrongs to foster a more inclusive and equitable society. The Path to Legislative Action Given the significant harm caused by denialism, it is imperative that the Canadian government takes concrete steps to address this issue.

The first step should be the introduction of legislation that criminalizes the denial of residential school atrocities. By making it illegal to deny these historical facts, the government would send a clear message that the denial of human suffering and systemic injustices will not be tolerated. Criminalizing denialism would have several benefits. It would provide a legal framework to combat hate speech and discrimination against Indigenous communities. It would also serve as a deterrent, dissuading individuals from perpetuating false narratives and promoting harmful ideologies.

Moreover, legislative action would help foster a more inclusive and empathetic society by recognizing the importance of truth, reconciliation, and the historical wrongs committed against Indigenous peoples.

Justice Minister David Lemetti indicated that he would look into a similar framework to Bill C-250 but did not specify a time frame or specifics. In 2022, the Canadian government moved that Bill C-250, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (prohibition—promotion of antisemitism), be read the second time and referred to a committee. The bill would essentially criminalize the denial of the Holocaust. A similar amendment to the criminal code to see the criminalization of those denying Residential Schools would be a welcomed tool in the fight against Denialists.

“I just simply can’t imagine the devastating impact that it would have on a survivor, or on a family, or a community that has seen this directly,” Lametti said Friday.

The denial of residential school atrocities is harmful and undermines the healing and reconciliation process for survivors and their communities. The Canadian government must take decisive action by passing a law that criminalizes denialism to address this issue. By doing so, the government would demonstrate its commitment to truth, justice, and reconciliation, ensuring that the painful history of residential schools is not erased or forgotten.

Image source UCC archives