First Nations leaders in B.C. call for Conservatives to drop candidate Aaron Gunn

A former vice-president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) wants the Conservative Party to drop its candidate in his riding over posts on social media that show "denial of residential school impacts."

"I find it extremely troubling that a candidate for any party could make such blatantly racist comments," said Bob (Galagame) Chamberlin, who served as UBCIC vice-president for 10 years and as elected chief of Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis First Nation for 14 years.

Aaron Gunn made posts on X between 2019 and 2021 denying that Indigenous people faced a genocide in Canada and that "residential schools were asked for by Indigenous bands."

Gunn is now running as the Conservative Party candidate for North Island-Powell River.

A post from Gunn on X from October 2020 reads "There was no genocide. Stop lying to people and read a book. The Holocaust was a genocide. Get off Twitter and learn more about the world."

More than 150,000 First Nation, Métis and Inuit children were forced to attend residential schools between the 1870s and 1997. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission called the residential school system "cultural genocide" in its final report released in 2015.

The House of Commons unanimously passed a motion in 2022 recognizing Canada's residential schools as genocide. The motion was passed after Pope Francis described residential schools as genocide after his visit to Canada in July 2022.

Chamberlin said these comments show a "denial of residential school impacts" and Gunn "obviously can never represent the interests of First Nations people in this riding."

Terry Teegee, B.C. regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, said the Conservative Party should take a closer look at its candidates and consider dropping Gunn.

"Mr. Gunn certainly hasn't read up on the term that is genocide," he said.

"It's really concerning that perhaps the Conservatives can't work with First Nations peoples across this country, especially with a party that supports an individual of this type of view."

A post on X from June 2021 reads "Residential schools were asked for by Indigenous bands in Eastern Ontario when John A. Macdonald was still a teenager, but hey, why let the truth get in the way of a good headline."

UBCIC Grand Chief Stewart Phillip called the posts "absolutely reprehensible and repugnant and completely devoid of any sense of compassion for Indigenous Peoples who suffered enormously through the residential school experience."

"I don't think this man is fit for public office, whether it be federal or provincial or any office that allows him to continue to make these horrible statements," he said.

Chamberlin said that Gunn's social media posts constitute residential school denialism.

"My fear is if candidates like Aaron Gunn become successful and are elected, that is the conversations that will continue to drive the oppression of First Nations people," said Chamberlin.

CBC News made several attempts to reach Gunn for comment but did not hear back by time of publishing.

In a statement, a campaign spokesperson for the Conservative Party said "Aaron Gunn has been clear in recognizing the truly horrific events that transpired in residential schools, and any attempt to suggest otherwise is simply false."

The statement points to comments made by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to the Assembly of First Nations last July, in which he acknowledged the suffering caused by residential schools, calling it a "monstrous abuse of excessive governmental power."

In the speech, Poilievre said there was more work to be done and "I know that Canada has no future without a strong future for the First Nations people."

In the statement, the spokesperson said "Mr. Gunn, along with great candidates such as former Haisla Chief Ellis Ross, is looking forward to repealing the Liberals radical anti-resource laws to quickly green-light good projects so First Nations and all Canadians bring home more powerful paycheques."

NDP candidate for North Island-Powell River Tanille Johnston said in a statement to CBC News, "It's horrific to see the Conservatives run a candidate that carries such divisive and harmful beliefs."

"I believe that the Conservatives should explain why they feel this type of candidate is best suited for not only our riding of North Island-Powell River, but for our federal government."

The Conservative Party has dropped four candidates this week, three of them for controversial comments.

The Liberal Party of B.C. rejected Gunn's application to run for its leadership in 2021 after a review of comments attributed to Gunn on social media.

CBC News reached out to the Liberal Party for comment but did not hear back by time of publishing.