Courtesy of the Williams Lake First Nation:
Editor's Note -- This is the first time in either following or being involved in local government (going back to the 2000's) that I can recall an indigenous government calling for the resignation of a member from a non-indigenous local government (Mayor, Councillor, Area Director or School Trustee) in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. However, having said that, I can respect why the Williams Lake First Nation would be upset with the comments of Williams Lake City Councillor Marnie Brenner. Full Disclosure: I voted for Councillor Brenner in the October 2018 City of Williams Lake Local General Election as I felt that she would be a good fit on Williams Lake City Council
For the full context of the discussion at last night's Williams Lake City Council meeting on this subject, click here
Williams Lake Indian Band Council today expressed shock and frustration over the comments made by
members of City of Williams Lake Council with respect to residential schools at the open Council meeting of
June 16, 2020, and called for the resignation of one member of City Council.
Speaking on the topic of reconciliation, Councillor Marnie Brenner asserted that “there are always two
sides”. Councillor Brenner then states that when some residential schools, such as in Riske Creek, were shut
down there were First Nation people who were “disappointed that they had to leave residential school
because they had a pool there.” Mayor Cobb then adds, “and a hockey team.”
“It’s shocking, upsetting and offensive,” states WLIB Councillor JoAnne Moiese, “that in 2020 any elected
officials would try to downplay the importance of reconciliation, or a local government’s obligations in
relation to reconciliation, by suggesting that residential schools weren’t really such a bad thing.
Our
community, and First Nations communities across the country, are still struggling to overcome the impacts of
residential schools. Children were ripped from their homes, they were stripped of their culture and language
and they were physically and sexually abused. The reality, though, is that there was only one residential
school in this area – St. Joseph’s. Apparently Councillor Brenner isn’t aware of that.”
“It disturbs me that anyone would attempt to diminish the impact that residential schools had on First Nations
communities,” adds WLIB Councillor Rick Gilbert, “We hear people say things like ‘just get over it, it
wasn’t such a big deal’. Clearly those people are not understanding the gravity of the issue or the impacts it
has had on Canadian society for generations now. People need to educate themselves about the realities of
this piece of Canadian history, and it’s very encouraging that there will finally be some curriculum content in
the school system.”
In 2015, the Government of Canada released the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of
Canada (“TRC”) which was the result of more than six years of investigation and inquiry into the impacts of
residential school on the indigenous people of Canada. The report documented the death of more than 3,200
First Nation children in residential school “care”-- although the TRC Chair, Justice Murray Sinclair, has
suggested that the number of deaths is likely closer to 6000. The report unequivocally condemns the
residential school system, stating, “children were abused, physically and sexually, and they died in the
schools in numbers that would not have been tolerated in any school system anywhere in the country, or in
the world.”
“Enough is enough,” states WL Indian Band Chief Willie Sellars. “Can you imagine if a government official in the United
States stood up and said that slavery wasn’t such a bad thing because black Americans were fed and had a
roof over their heads? There would be incredible outrage, and rightfully so. We are in an era where the vast
majority of people, including elected officials, are working hard to acknowledge the problems of the past and
to root out systemic discrimination.
The fact that Councillor Brenner is herself a First Nations individual
makes it even worse. We are calling for Councillor Brenner to resign as a member of the City of Williams
Lake Council. We’re further asking that the entire City of Williams Lake Council issue an apology to the
First Nations people of Canada.”
