UBCIC calls for removal of BC Conservative candidate John Henderson voiceonline.com/ubcic-calls-… via @Indo-Canadian Voice THE Union of BC Indian Chiefs is calling for the removal of Powell River-Sunshine Coast candidate John Henderson of the BC Conservative Party over his history of residential school denialism. As Mayor of Sechelt, Henderson pushed a book called “Grave Error: How The Media Misled Us,” a collection of essays that minimize and deny the experiences of residential school survivors. Henderson was then rebuked by his own city council, who passed a motion rejecting residential school denialism. At a subsequent meeting, the councillors wore orange shirts in solidarity with residential school survivors. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, stated: “When the B.C. Conservative Party announced Mr. Henderson’s candidacy on October 1, the very day after people across the country marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it felt like a slap in the face. As the UBCIC Chiefs-in-Assembly have noted, the pain of Residential School denialism is deeply offensive and compounds the suffering that generations of survivors have already endured and has no place in public discourse. Particularly concerning is the dissemination of misinformation and harmful denialism by individuals elected to public office. No individual should be acclaimed by any party when they have perpetuated Residential School denialism, including Mr. Henderson.” Ravi Parmar, BC NDP Candidate for Langford-Highlands, says: “It is clear that the Conservative Party takes little issue with extreme and harmful views. John Henderson’s residential school denialism was publicly known when Lorne Doerkson approved him as a candidate. Even John Rustad rejected residential school denialism in his party. British Columbians deserve to know if he thinks these views are acceptable under his leadership.”