NDP MLA Joan Phillip on Monday, responding to residential school denialism in the B.C. Legislature after some opposition members mocked residential school survivors and claimed that deaths did not occur at residential schools, said in the House: “After the findings on the grounds of the former residential school in Kamloops, I got a call from a friend of mine saying her dad called her crying. He told her, “I know where the bodies are buried,” because they made the older children bury the young kids.”

Phillip, a respected Indigenous leader, said: “Racism should never be a partisan issue. We all need to come together to work towards a better future for everyone, and that starts with listening to communities and believing them when they tell you they’ve been harmed. Indigenous peoples across Canada have been harmed by colonialism and racism, both of which continue to this day.”

She added: “So I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for using their voices to correct this harmful misinformation. It is not okay, and it’s never been okay. Speaking out requires courage, and I lift my hands up to you for using your voices responsibly.

“Denying the history and pain of the survivors retraumatizes the very people we need to be standing up for. So I hope that going forward we remember that we all have a responsibility up to you for using your voices responsibly. Denying the history and pain of the survivors re-traumatizes the very people we need to be standing up for.

“So I hope that, going forward, we remember that we all have a responsibility to support all our constituents. No one should stay silent on racism. Truth and reconciliation matter more than political gains.”