Why I am not attending Tuesday's Michelle Stirling presentation

There is overwhelming evidence in federal government and other archival records documenting the Canadian government's intent and purposes in founding Indian Residential Schools across Canada - to "solve" the Indian problem in Canada.

There is ample documentary evidence of mistreatment of children attending these institutions, emotionally, physically, sexually and medically.

First Nations people in increasing numbers, began to speak out about their residential school miss-treatment in the 60s, and later went to the courts to seek recognition and redress or justice.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established as a result of an agreement between the government that instituted and funded, and the churches that ran the institutions, and the claimants in the class action suit that was working its way through the courts. That is, the government and the churches and the claimants agreed, rather than proceeding to trial where the court would decide, to settle the suit with the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, of which the TRC process was a part.

Over more than 5 years the TRC held gatherings and hearings across our nation. Just under 3,000 former students (often referred to as "survivors") testified publicly about their experiences. In addition, a number of individuals who had worked at the institutions (as administrators, teachers, cooks, maintenance workers, etc.) testified. All of this public testimony is available publicly from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (nctr.org).

Michelle Stirling, and others, have been engaged in denying the reality of this legacy, and other legacies of Canada's treatment of the Peoples who had been living in North America since "time immemorial". In my short experience with these writings, they dwell on very minor points, often exaggerating them or misrepresenting them, to spread doubt about the subject, rather than to introduce evidence that has not been considered.

Sean Carleton, from U Manitoba, has been engaged in publicly countering this type of denialist writings and speech, because it is factually and morally wrong and very damaging.

I'm not interested in giving equal time, or any time beyond what seems necessary, to these positions and arguments. I'm also not interested in hearing and discussing whether the earth is flat, or whether vaccines injure and kill thousands of people, or most of the other "conspiracy theories" that are being put forward.