NDPs want jail time for 'downplaying’ residential school system

The NDP has sponsored a private bill that would make it a crime punishable with two years in prison for Canadians to “downplay or justify the Indian Residential School System.”NDP MP Leah Gazan, who introduced the bill in the House on Thursday, complained of “increasing Residential School denialism,” per Blacklock's Reporter. Bill C-413 An Act To Amend The Criminal Code would amend “hate speech” provisions of the Code to outlaw any public remarks “condoning, denying, downplaying or justifying the Indian Residential School system in Canada or by misrepresenting facts related to it” under threat of two years in jail.“At a time of increasing Residential School denialism, including from some parliamentarians, survivors, their families and communities need protection and a platform to share our history,” Gazan told MPs. Political aides did not respond to questions.“If passed, this bill would add to the Criminal Code the offence of wilfully promoting hatred against indigenous peoples by condoning, denying, justifying or downplaying the harm caused by the Residential School System in Canada, calling irrefutable historical facts into question,” said Gazan.“Survivors and their families deserve to heal from this intergenerational tragedy and be free from violent hate. We cannot allow their safety and well-being to be put further at risk. All parliamentarians must stand firm against all forms of damaging hate speech including the denial of the tragedy of the Residential Schools in Canada.”The NDP would not say if the “downplaying” offence would include questioning of Residential School deaths. The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimated 4,100 children died in the system that operated until 1996.The Senate Indigenous Peoples Committee in a July 25 report acknowledged the figures were unsubstantiated and contradicted by some coroners’ reports. No human remains have yet been recovered from Kamloops, BC where the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation in 2021 announced the discovery of 215 children’s graves, later revised to 200 “potential burials.”Bill C-413 does not define “downplaying.” Cabinet raised questions in 2022 with similar wording in Bill C-19 amendments to the Criminal Code prohibiting statements that “wilfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust.”“It’s downplaying, diminishing,” then-Attorney General David Lametti testified at 2022 hearings of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. “It’s not simply downplaying the Holocaust on its own but downplaying the Holocaust in a way that promotes antisemitism.”“How do you define downplaying?” asked Sen. Denise Batters.“I don’t have to define it,” replied Lametti.“I mean, the word has a plain language meaning in English.”Sen. Paula Simons, who self-identifies as having Jewish heritage, said dismissive treatment of the Holocaust was “horrifically offensive” but questioned the point of the amendment. “I don’t think people should go to jail,” said Simons.

NDPs want jail time for 'downplaying’ residential school system

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