N.B. Election Controversy: Conservative Candidate Compares LGBTQ Policy to Residential Schools
FREDERICTON – In a controversial statement, Sherry Wilson, the Progressive Conservative candidate for the Albert-Riverview riding in New Brunswick’s upcoming election, has drawn sharp criticism for comparing the province’s LGBTQ policy in schools to the legacy of residential schools.
Wilson’s remarks come in the wake of changes made by Premier Blaine Higgs’s government in 2023, which altered guidelines that previously allowed teachers to use the preferred names and pronouns of trans and non-binary students without parental consent. Under the revised policy, teachers are now required to obtain parental approval for students under the age of 16 before using their chosen names.
In a Facebook post marking National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Wilson asserted that the residential school system historically isolated Indigenous children from their families and cultural roots. She argued that such isolation should “never be allowed to happen again in Canada,” linking it to her party’s recent modifications to the gender identity policy.
The response has been swift and pointed. Terry Richardson, Chief of the Pabineau First Nation, has called for Wilson to withdraw as a candidate, labeling her comments as harmful and insensitive. Green Party deputy leader Megan Mitton described Wilson’s comparison as “abhorrent, indefensible, and completely wrong,” urging her to apologize to Indigenous communities across Canada.
The Progressive Conservative Party has yet to issue a statement regarding the backlash, and Wilson’s controversial Facebook post has since been removed. In her original message, she refrained from directly mentioning the gender identity policy but emphasized the importance of parental involvement in discussions about children’s development.
As this controversy unfolds, the implications of Wilson’s comments resonate deeply within the context of ongoing discussions about LGBTQ rights, parental consent, and the historical impact of residential schools on Indigenous communities in Canada.
Source: Swifteradio.com
