OTTAWA – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde issued the following statement today in response to Senator Lynn Beyak’s recent comments:
“In this era of reconciliation there is no place for the kind of outdated and uninformed thinking expressed by Senator Lynn Beyak,” said National Chief Bellegarde. “Many have reached out to educate her and help her understand our shared history yet she refuses to acknowledge reality. Her comments are hurtful and disgraceful. She should resign, and if she won’t resign she should be expelled from caucus by the Conservative Leader to demonstrate his party’s commitment to truth and reconciliation. There is no room for this kind of thinking in today’s Canada.”
In March of this year, following grossly misinformed comments about the Indian Residential Schools tragedy, National Chief Bellegarde sent a personal letter to Senator Beyak strongly opposing her remarks and providing her a copy of the book A National Crime by noted historian John S. Milloy, which provides a full picture of the history and reality of the residential school system. There was no acknowledgement from Senator Beyak.
