Residential school denialists were met with counter-protesters at TRU, Nov. 12. (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Two and Out

PETERS: Showing residential school denialists their hatred is not welcome in our community

Nov 14, 2025 | 1:23 PM

A NEST OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL DENIALISTS was treated to a true Kamloops welcome this week.

Some of the leading figures pushing to whitewash the horrors of Canada’s residential school system slithered into the city for public talks.

They were joined by the two OneBC MLAs, people who were elected as BC Conservatives but left the party when it became clear their crusade against the woke agenda would be sidelined by more serious concerns.

When this group tried to book halls for their talks, those venues cancelled.

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When they tried to spread their message at TRU, they were outnumbered and shouted down.

It was heartening to see.

The foundation of the residential school denialist thesis is based on prejudice, hatred and a complete misrepresentation of Canadian history.

They believe the confirmation of 215 suspected graves located near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School is a lie.

Morbidly, they demand exhumation of remains.

Tk’emlups, who has taken responsibility for the children, is under no obligation to disturb them from their resting places just to counteract the ignorance of a few toxic hatemongers.

Survivors, hopefully, can rely on the rest of us to have their backs.

Those of us who can read our history as it is presented in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.

Those of us who can see with our eyes and hear with our ears and feel with our souls the pain and intergenerational trauma that still lingers in our family members, our friends and neighbours.

Residential school denialists believe reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people is a grift.

That’s nothing more than projection. They are running their own grift, desperate for attention and validation.

When allies come together to speak with one voice — to tell these pathetic charlatans their message is not welcome in our community — we drown them out.

The fight is not over but a key message was sent in Kamloops this week — hatred is not welcome here.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.