OneBC Party leader and Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie is defending herself and stepping up her efforts after a photo of her denying the deaths of children in Canadian residential schools was circulated on social media.
A photo taken in front of a sign in Penticton that mentions 215 suspected unmarked graves on the former Kamloops residential school site shows Brodie holding a sign that reads “Zero Bodies.”
“We were at Penticton City Hall and we saw the sign there again. Then we posted the photo we took earlier because no bodies were found and this giant sign still has the number 215 on it,” Brodie said.
The post drew criticism from the Penticton Indian Band. In a letter signed by Chief Greg Gabriel and sent to British Columbia Premier David Eby, the group detailed their disgust and outrage.
“Exploiting our lands and our pain for political gain and messaging is unconscionable,” the letter said.
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In response, Brodie strengthened her position, saying: “This is the greatest lie in Canadian history. The Great Chief and other leaders were caught red-handed. This is anti-Canadian disinformation.”
In the letter, the group calls on Eby to publicly condemn Brodie's remarks, demand a formal apology to Silks residents and residential school survivors, and reconsider his behavior in light of the province's principles of reconciliation.
Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation Spencer Chandra Herbert supported the letter's demands.
“We have to stand up to racism against Indigenous people. We have to stand up to denial. There were residential schools, a lot of kids didn't come home,” he said.
Brodie says the photo in question was taken in July while she was traveling in British Columbia filming a documentary about residential schools.
The letter from the Penticton Indian Band claims her visit to the sign was an act of trespassing, a claim Brodie disputes.
“The sign is right next to a major highway. It's a giant sign and there's no 'No Trespassing' sign on it, so I'm not sure what they're saying,” she said.
Herbert also spoke about the emotional toll the incident took.
“I feel sorry for the chief and the gang members because the member of this chamber went to great lengths to spread hatred,” he said.
The Penticton Indian Orchestra did not respond to requests for further comment, but their letter demands an immediate response from Prime Minister Eby and his government.
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