NDP statement on senator Beyak’s comments regarding residential schools

NDP Indigenous Affairs critic, and residential school survivor, Romeo Saganash made the following statement:

“I was shocked and disgusted to hear the comments that Senator Beyak made regarding the so-called “well-intentioned” residential school system.

The residential school system was put in place to strip Indigenous peoples of their culture, their language, their territory and their identity. Senator Beyak claims that “some good things also happened” at residential schools. She is wrong. No good came from this.

Villages were stripped of their children, leaving parents behind. It was genocide, and there are no good aspects to genocide.

There is no room in this place for such attitudes. In the spirit of reconciliation, I call on Senator Beyak to resign. I also call on the government to seek her resignation. ”