Residential School Denialism: A Misinformation Campaign
When people hear about residential schools in Canada, some people view them as a tragic chapter in Canadian history, while others recognize the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma rippling through Indigenous communities today. Yet, despite the extensive historical record, a vocal minority continues to deny and distort what actually happened. But the truth is well documented: for more than 150 years, 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were taken from their families and sent to schools run by churches and funded by the federal government, with the last federally funded residential school closing in 1996. Many experienced abuse, neglect, loneliness, and the loss of language, culture, and family connection. Tragically, many children never returned home.
What is Residential School Denialism?
Residential school denialism does not mean denying that the schools existed. Instead, it often means downplaying, excusing, or misrepresenting what happened. This can include:
Suggesting the schools were well-intentioned,
Questioning survivors’ truths, or,
Casting doubt on the searches for missing children and unmarked burials.
These arguments can seem like “just asking questions,” but they often work to weaken public understanding of the harms caused by residential schools.
What makes this issue more concerning is that denialism can also become part of a larger misinformation and disinformation campaign. False or misleading claims can spread quickly online, especially when they confirm beliefs people already hold. In some cases, denialism may also serve political goals by protecting colonial narratives, resisting reconciliation, or reducing public support for Indigenous rights. It can also be used to generate profit through books, media attention, online platforms, or merchandise that spreads misinformation.
Legislative Responses to Residential School Denialism
In recent years, there have been calls to address residential school denialism through law. Bill C-413, introduced in 2024, and Bill C-254, introduced in 2025 by Member of Parliament Leah Gazan, proposed changes to the Criminal Code. The goal was to create an offence for wilfully promoting hatred against Indigenous Peoples by publicly condoning, denying, downplaying, or justifying the residential school system, or by misrepresenting facts about it. Supporters argue that these measures would help protect survivors, families, and First Nations from hate and from the continued harm caused by organized denialism.
Others have raised concerns about free expression. Some argue that criminal law should be used carefully and that people must be able to discuss history, public policy, and government action without fear of punishment. This is an important concern in any democratic society. At the same time, the proposed bills did not treat every difficult or uncomfortable statement as hate. The bills tried to focus on wilful promotion of hatred, not honest discussion or legitimate criticism. The debate is therefore not simply about whether difficult conversations should happen. It is about where the line should be drawn when public statements promote hatred by distorting well-documented harms.
Why Addressing Denialism Matters
For Indigenous communities, this is not only a debate about speech. It is about truth, safety, and respect. Reconciliation depends on an honest understanding of the past and its ongoing impacts. When denialism spreads, it can retraumatize survivors, dishonour children who died, and create confusion for the public. It can also slow the work of rebuilding relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Understanding residential school denialism matters because misinformation is not neutral. It shapes what people believe, the t policies they support and how they treat Indigenous Peoples. It can push people to vote in ways that reinforce denial, minimize harm, or weaken reconciliation.
Responding to denialism requires more than correcting facts. It requires listening to survivors, supporting Indigenous-led research, and recognizing that truth is not an obstacle to reconciliation. It is the foundation of it.
Sources
Justice, D., & Carleton, S. (n.d.). Truth before reconciliation: 8 ways to identify and confront Residential School denialism. https://beyond.ubc.ca/8-ways-to-confront-residential-school-denialism/
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. (n.d.). Residential School History. https://nctr.ca/education/residential-school-history/
Parliament of Canada. (2024). Bill C-413: An act to amend the Criminal Code (Promotion of hatred against Indigenous Peoples). https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-413/first-reading
Parliament of Canada. (2025). Bill C-254: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (promotion of hatred against Indigenous peoples). https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/bill/C-254/first-reading
Passafium, A. (2024). Survivors call on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism | CBC News. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/residential-school-denialism-1.7369449
Schwientek, S. (2025). Residential School denialism: What is it and how to recognize it | CBC News. CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/residential-school-denialism-explainer-1.7485959
