The Anishinabek Nation is outraged after the Senate voted 41-32 to reject a Bill C-9 amendment that would have criminalized residential school denialism, calling it a betrayal of survivors.
THUNDER BAY鈥擜nishinabek Nation leadership is incensed that the government of Canada, via the Senate of Canada, rejected proposed amendments to its anti-hate legislation, Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act.
The decision comes after a 41-32 vote to reject proposed amendments to include an Indian Residential School denialism offence in the Bill, despite the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights returning its report with amendments to the Senate last week.
鈥淭he Anishinabek Nation is deeply disturbed, frankly outraged, that the government of Canada has refused to support the inclusion of Indian Residential School (IRS) denialism in Canada鈥檚 anti-hate legislation, Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act,鈥 stated Linda Debassige, grand council chief of the Anishinabek Nation.
鈥淎t a time when this country still claims to be committed to truth and reconciliation, this decision sends exactly the opposite message. IRS denialism is not a harmless debate or difference of opinion. It is a direct attack on the lived experiences of survivors, an erasure of highly documented history, and a form of harm specifically targeting 91成人导航s peoples,鈥 said Chief Debassige.
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