On March 29, 2024, it was announced by the Quesnel Cariboo Observer that a “Truth and Reconciliation rally [was] planned for Quesnel”. It is noted that “[t]he event is entitled ‘For Truth & Reconciliation – Enough Is Enough’ and gives recognition to the Lhtako Dene Nation, the Nazko First Nation, the ʔEsdilagh First Nation, and the Lhoosk’uz Dene Nation in the circulated poster”.
On March 31, 2024, Frances Widdowson was sent an email by the CBC reporter and Associate Producer, Jordan Tucker (she/her). The email wondered if Widdowson was “making the trip [to Quenel]” on Widdowson’s “own volition” or if she was “invited, and in which case, by whom?”.
Widdowson responded by saying that she had been invited but “would prefer not to specify ‘by whom’ because of the climate of censoriousness that exists in Quesnel”.
The “climate of censoriousness” to which Widdowson referred concerned the demands for punishment that were being made for those who had any association with people who were encouraging that the book “Grave Error” be read and discussed. One of these demands for punishment was that the tax business of Pat Morton’s son should be boycotted. This led Morton’s son to defend her online, which resulted in a Twitter thread from University of Manitoba professor “uber clown” Sean Carleton.
On March 31, 2024, Frances Widdowson was interviewed by CBC reporter and Associate Producer Jordan Tucker (she/her). In this interview, Tucker stated that “6,000 bodies had been found” and declared that there was evidence that 215 children were buried in the apple orchard at what used to be the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Widdowson asserted that Tucker was an incompetent journalist and needed to read “Grave Error”.
On April 1, 2024, the BC General Employees’ Union Tweeted the following:
“In response to the dismaying events in Quesnel, the BCGEU stands in solidarity with the Lhtako Dene Nation in denouncing the book distributed by Pat Morton and the destructive and false narrative it promotes. We encourage all who are able to attend tomorrow’s rally.”
A very wise person posted these words on X. It speaks volumes about the generation Sean Carleton belongs to and his followers. These people have been raised in the Western world and have no concept of how lucky they truly are. For context, Monica Harris is a woman of colour.
Monica_Harris
@Monica_Y_Harris
I find it fascinating that Western civilization has suddenly fallen out of favor because it’s “oppressive.” #Antiracism advocates claim America is a bastion of white supremacy and inherently hostile to people of color, women, and other underrepresented groups.
This makes no sense to me.
Has the West committed atrocities? Absolutely.
But is there another culture or civilization that has ultimately liberated more human beings? No.
Would the Civil Rights Movement have been possible without freedom of speech or association? Was there a Women’s Rights Movement in the Middle East, Africa, or Asia? Was the first gay marriage recognized in the West or the East? Does a non-binary person have more legal protections in the United States or India?
If you’re a member of any underrepresented group, where would *you* rather live?
People who condemn Western principles don’t realize that without them they would be far less safe — and wouldn’t have a voice to condemn anything or anyone. It’s okay to demand more, but never take for granted what you already have. #FreeSpeech
7:48 PM · Apr 1, 2024
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I have travelled the back roads and/or worked in more than 75 countries on six continents. Canada, by a large margin, has provided more financial support, health care benefits, housing, education opportunities and entrepreneurial support for its indigenous peoples than any other. As for the tired phrase “colonialism”; what would western Canada look like in the 21st century if settlers from Ukraine, Scandinavia, France, Germany, England, Scotland, Poland, etc. had NOT come to settle priairies and convert raw prairie into productive, fertile agricultural land under extreme conditions of weather/hardship/isolation that required extraordinary persistence and fortitude.
Maybe people who are condeming the content of the book should at least read the content of the book or is that just too logical?
All excellent points. I have thought similar myself in the past. What would have happened to the Indigenous people of Canada if the Russians or worse yet the Spaniards had gotten here first? What a crazy society we are living in now!
Thank you Frances Widdowson for your work, in coming to Quesnel and expressing points of view that deserves serious consideration including reference to the well written and researched book Grave Error … that I have read. Hope that Canadians have more responsible and balanced dialogue about Canadian history including residential schools in the future and that those identifying themselves as indigenous acknowledge that their societies were not perfect and had flaws and that they note these imperfections in future discourse that they put forward.