Conservative Senator Lynn Beyak has made ignorant and offensive comments about residential schools and Indigenous people again. Beyak has been spreading untrue and damaging falsehoods about indigenous people. Her suggestion that indigenous people give up their status smacks of white privilege and ignorance about the rights of indigenous people in this country. Perhaps also of fear of being brought to task for years of injustice, illegally gained land, and illegally gained "white" rights.
Ignorance and racism of this kind do not belong in any political party. If the Conservatives want to prove they are inclusive, they need to boot Beyak from caucus immediately.
Beyak's ongoing claims that residential schools "did some good" are hurtful to thousands of residential school survivors and their families. Thousands of indigenous youth died and/or were abused in residential schools, as has been well documented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
I hate to see the government funding such hatred and lies. Can't we spend our money more effectively than on her salary?
Linda Wijcik
Fraser Lake
