Alan Lagimodiere

Defence of the Canadian residential school system

In the minutes following his appointment as the minister in charge of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations,^[6] Lagimodiere made comments defending the Canadian residential school system,^[7] and was criticized for his support of this tool of genocide.^[8] In a confrontation, Lagimodiere was corrected by NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who informed him that, "it was the express intent of residential schools to kill the Indian in the child—it is not cultural relativism, it is not revisionist history for us to say that that was wrong."^[9]

President of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), David Chartrand, (of which Lagimodiere is a member of the MMF),^[1] later stated:

It is very disappointing for me to see one of my Metis citizens really bow down to somebody else's (way of) how they see the world. That is completely opposite of what we see, and for Lagimodiere to give up on his people, abandon his people, sit silent all these years hoping he is going to be appointed to minister, shutting down his principles, and definitely shutting down his nation.^[10]

Lagimodiere later stated he felt his claim for the virtuousness of the residential schools was misunderstood and chose not to apologize for the fourteen minute introductory speech that he had provided on his views.^[11] In response, Chief Sheldon Kent of Black River First Nation stated that the minister's, "comments were harmful, retriggering anger and discontent among our people. There was no good intention at Indian residential schools to promote and it is catastrophically irresponsible to suggest otherwise," while calling for his resignation.^[12]