Quick Read
- Dallas Brodie’s OneBC party plans an event at UBC to deny residential school survivor experiences.
- Indigenous students and allies are organizing a large counter-demonstration to affirm survivor truths.
- UBC states it respects peaceful protest but condemns hate and intolerance.
- Brodie was expelled from the BC Conservative Party for mocking residential school testimony.
- Similar unsanctioned denialist events at TRU and UVic led to trespassing notices and arrests.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is bracing for a significant on-campus event this Thursday, as Dallas Brodie, leader of the far-right OneBC party, plans to hold a gathering outside the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre. Brodie’s event, aimed at denying the experiences of residential school survivors and opposing what she terms the “reconciliation industry,” has prompted a robust response from Indigenous students, staff, and community members who are organizing a large counter-demonstration to affirm the truths of survivors and show collective rejection of denialism.
Planned Demonstrations and University Response
Dallas Brodie, known for her controversial stance on residential schools, announced her intention to engage in ‘conversations with students and anyone else open to an exchange of opinions’ at UBC. This announcement has galvanized an autonomous group of students, staff, alumni, and community members to organize a counter-event. Participants are urged to arrive with orange shirts, noisemakers, and signs, signaling their support for ‘justice for residential school survivors.’ The stated goal of the counter-demonstrators is not to debate Brodie’s group but to create a significant presence that clearly communicates their unwelcomeness and the overwhelming community support for survivor truths.
The Indigenous Student Society had previously indicated plans for a ‘peaceful counter-demonstration’ in December, though it remains unclear if this is the same event now being widely promoted. UBC’s Associate Vice-President of Communications, Kurt Heinrich, issued a statement to The Ubyssey, affirming the university’s respect for peaceful protest and the free exchange of ideas. However, Heinrich also emphasized that ‘hate and intolerance have no place at the university,’ reiterating UBC’s clear position on truth and reconciliation, as outlined in its Indigenous Strategic Plan and UBCO’s Declaration of Truth and Reconciliation Commitments. He stressed the importance of respectful engagement to maintain a safe academic community, even amidst differing perspectives.
In a related move, šxʷta:təχʷəm, the Indigenous Collegium located in UBC’s First Nations Longhouse, announced its closure for Thursday, opting to avoid involvement in the denialists’ activities. This decision reflects a broader strategy by Indigenous organizations and allies to refuse to legitimize denialist rhetoric by engaging directly in debate, instead choosing to amplify survivor voices and community solidarity.
The Controversial Figure: Dallas Brodie and OneBC
Dallas Brodie’s planned appearance at UBC is the latest in a series of controversial actions that have defined her political career. Brodie was expelled from the B.C. Conservative Party last March for publicly mocking and belittling testimony from former residential school students. Following her expulsion, she co-founded the OneBC party in June with Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong. Initially gaining official party status, OneBC quickly became known for its opposition to ‘globalism,’ taxation, and Indigenous rights, frequently attempting to rewrite historical narratives related to residential schools.
The party’s platform, which includes repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and removing SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) programming from B.C.’s K-12 curriculum, has drawn widespread condemnation from First Nations leaders. The First Nations Leadership Council, a forum for various Indigenous groups in B.C., publicly called for Brodie’s resignation as an MLA in November, accusing her of promoting ‘residential school denialism and anti-Indigenous rhetoric.’ Regional Chief Terry Teegee of the BC Assembly of First Nations stated that Brodie’s actions ‘undermine public trust in the Legislature,’ while Robert Philips of the First Nations Summit Political Executive described her as ‘the antithesis of reconciliation.’
The Armstrong-Brodie alliance within OneBC ultimately dissolved in December over disagreements regarding a staffer with a reportedly antisemitic and white supremacist social media history. Brodie was briefly removed as leader before returning, leading to Armstrong and multiple board members parting ways. Today, Brodie remains the party’s sole member, having lost official party status. She also faces calls for her resignation from within her Vancouver-Quilchena riding.
Precedent at Other B.C. Campuses
Brodie’s event at UBC is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of similar provocateur appearances at post-secondary institutions across British Columbia. In November, Brodie, along with former teacher Jim McMurtry and former Mount Royal University professor Frances Widdowson, held a denialist event at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops. McMurtry was previously fired for controversial comments regarding the residential school system and has continued to deny the existence of mass graves. Widdowson was dismissed from Mount Royal University in 2021 for similar comments, having lauded the supposed educational benefits of residential schools.
TRU’s President Arini (who uses a single name) declared the November event ‘unsanctioned’ and issued a notice under the B.C. Trespass Act, reminding organizers they lacked permission. Despite this, the event proceeded, met by resistance from TRU students and Indigenous faculty. Similarly, in December, Brodie and OneBC supporters held another unsanctioned event at the University of Victoria (UVic). UVic also released a statement affirming its commitment to ʔetalnəw̓əl̓ (respect for the rights of one another) and noted the event was unauthorized. According to the CBC, this event concluded with Widdowson’s arrest under the Trespass Act, with The Martlet and The Times Colonist reporting hundreds of counter-demonstrators. Notably, unlike TRU and UVic, UBC has not invoked trespassing in relation to Brodie’s plans, and as of press time, no statement has been published by UBC’s president’s office, provost’s office, media relations, or campus security regarding the event.
Affirming Truths Amidst Denial
The repeated attempts by Brodie and her associates to spread residential school denialism on university campuses underscore a persistent challenge to reconciliation efforts in Canada. Johnny Mack, academic director of UBC’s Indian Residential School History & Dialogue Centre, issued a statement in December, urging individuals not to fuel rhetoric that stokes denialism. Alluding to the events at other B.C. campuses, Mack decried attempts to ‘provoke controversy around the history of residential schools in order to draw Indigenous communities and institutions into an exhausting cycle of reaction.’ He firmly asserted that the history of the residential school system is not up for debate, emphasizing that it is ‘established through the voices of survivors, through government and church records, through the extensive findings of national commissions and inquiries, and through the ongoing work of Indigenous communities who have carried these truths across generations.’
Mack advocated for a ‘refusal to let harmful rhetoric dictate the terms of engagement’ and a deliberate movement toward what truly matters: acknowledging the responsibilities that this history places upon society. This perspective guides the planned counter-demonstrations at UBC, which aim to be a ‘peaceful non-engagement’ with the denialists, instead focusing on a collective affirmation of truth and solidarity with survivors. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society and the KUU-US Crisis Line Society provide 24/7 crisis support for those affected by residential school trauma, highlighting the ongoing impact of this history and the critical need for support and truth-telling.
The strategic decision by UBC to avoid invoking trespassing, unlike other B.C. universities, suggests a delicate balance between upholding free speech principles and unequivocally rejecting hate speech, placing the onus on the community to visibly counter denialism rather than relying solely on institutional enforcement.