Manitoba government must have known about Jim McCrae's residential school denialism: Murray Sinclair

Former senator Murray Sinclair believes the Manitoba government knew about Jim McCrae's controversial views on residential schools.

McCrae, a former Manitoba politician appointed toa judicial selection committeeby the provinceearlier this month, resigned after concerns were raised Thursday about articles he wrote that downplay the impact of residential schools.

He co-authored aMarch 2022 article in the Dorchester Review that suggested the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) "promotes a darker view of Canadian history than the facts justify" and inflates the number of people who died at residential schools.

He also wrote two articles published in the Western Standard within the last six months, which claimed far fewer children attended residential schools than the public has been led to believe and questioned the truth behind stories of those who attended.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen recommended McCrae's appointment to the masters appointmentcommittee, which selects judicial officers to the Court of King's Bench. McCrae's three-year term came into effect on May 10.

Despite the accessibility of McCrae's opinion pieces online, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said he wasn't aware of them after the articles were tabled during Thursday's question period.

McCrae 'proud' of controversial views: Sinclair

But Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), believes the province knew about McCrae'sdenialism of residential schools.

"Everybody knew about Jim McCrae's views everybody. He was not very quiet in what he said and he was rather proud, in fact," Sinclair told CBC News.

"He should never have been considered for such an appointment. He is not worthy of any further public audience."

While saying he's "supposed to be the voice of reason,"Sinclair says he has no choice but to call out McCrae and others like him. The former senator firmly believes society can'tallow people to deny the validity of findings from the TRC and other inquiries involving Indigenous people.

"And Jim McCrae is the worst of them," Sinclairsaid.

In response, McCraedoubled down on his dismissal of claims that thousands died in residentialschools and that many are buried in unmarked graves.

The aim of the Indian Act, responsible for creating the government-funded, church-run schools, wasto assimilate First Nations.McCraeagrees children were harmed and some died, but not to the degree Sinclair and others say.

He also disagrees with a decision by Parliament in October to recognize residential schools as genocide.

"To have a genocide, you have to have intent, and you have to have bodies proven to be murdered with the intent to wipe out a population. None of that exists," he said. "Yet we all go around throwing that word around."

The definition of "genocide" has been disputed.Under international law, genocide is an intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

According to the United Nations, this can include killings, serious bodily or mental harm, or inflicting lethal conditions and measures to prevent births, among other means.

McCrae does not dispute that Indigenous childrensuffered abuses, racism andloss of culture, but believes it wasbecause those operating the schools "didn't really understand the nature and culture of Indigenous kids. Or if they did understand it, they didn't respect it enough."

"I have nothing but wishes for a better deal for Indigenous people across this country. Always have. Much of what I've been writing about since has been with that aim in mind," McCrae said.

"So under all of the circumstances I've mentioned, how is it a fair comment to say that I'm not worthy of further public audience or that I'm that terrible D word [denialist]? Because I'm not."

McCrae resigns from judicial selection committee after articles tabled in legislature

1 year ago

Duration 2:10

Jim McCrae, a former Manitoba politician appointed to a judicial selection committee by the province earlier this month, resigned after concerns were raised Thursday about articles he wrote that downplay the impact of residential schools.

McCraesaid heresigned from the masters appointmentcommittee because he didn't want any doubt about his impartiality tainting decisions.

People appointed to provincial boards are recommended bythe minister in charge, before a committee of cabinet ministers and MLAs have the final say.The provincial government wouldn't go into specifics on McCrae's appointment.

Jennifer Wood, a residential school survivor and NCTR community liaison, says First Nations people should be part of that vetting process.

"To me, that would be reconciliation. It would be equal, it would be fair, it would be the right thing to do in my view," she told CBC News.

"The fact that [McCrae] is downplaying the truth about the unmarked graves, about the abuses in the schools. It's alarming and it is concerning."

She took issue with McCrae's claim that the NCTR "promotes a darker view of Canadian history."

The TRC gave residential school survivors an opportunity to finally tell the truth about their experiences in public, Woodsaid, adding that survivors wanted validation for abuses they faced and the impacts that came afterwards.

"So don't say that we're promoting 'a darker side.' What we are [doing] is telling the truth, and without understanding, there is no validation."