A First Nation chief and the mayor of a Prince Edward Island community are calling for a councillor to resign over a sign posted on his property denying the existence of residential school graves.
Abegweit First Nation Chief Roderick Gould Jr. and Terry White, mayor of Murray Harbour, say John Roberston should immediately step down from council because of the hateful message he displayed.
White said he was informed Friday of a large sign on Robertson’s property that displayed the message, “Truth: mass grave hoax” and “Reconciliation: Redeem Sir John A.’s integrity.”
Gould called for Robertson to resign from the Murray Harbour council in a letter Wednesday, saying the sign is “hurtful and triggering to all Indigenous people, as we are all descendants of survivors of residential schools, to see such hateful opinions posted about their ancestors.”
The chief said in his letter that he is a direct descendant of a residential school survivor.
“Having individuals in a position of power that spread misinformation and hate goes directly against reconciliation and continues to divide Indigenous persons and other residents,” Gould said in the letter.
The mayor of the community of about 300 people said he was appalled to hear about the message Robertson displayed.
“It’s a hate sign. Period,” White said in an interview Thursday. “He stepped way over the line … I even threatened to take it down myself.”
“I told my wife, I said, ‘I’m going to go grab the tractor and I’m going to smash (the sign) into 1,000 pieces.’”
White said he went to Robertson’s house on Friday to request that he remove the sign, but Robertson allegedly refused.
“He told me: ‘I’m within my legal rights,'” White said.
Attempts to reach Robertson Thursday were not successful.
The mayor said he returned to Robertson’s house on Saturday — National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — adding that the sign was taken down later that day.
White said Robertson’s sign has embarrassed the village and its message does not reflect the views of council or the community. The mayor said it’s unacceptable to downplay or deny the abuses caused by Canada’s residential school system.
“To deny it, it’s like denying the Holocaust happened,” he said. “I mean, come on, open your eyes. It happened.”
In May 2021, the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation announced that ground-penetrating radar had revealed the possible remains of as many as 215 children around the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia’s Interior. Since then, many other First Nations across Canada have searched school sites in their territories for graves.
Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, is considered the architect of Confederation — and of the residential school system, who championed policies of assimilation and violence toward Indigenous people.
The mayor said he cannot legally remove Robertson from village council, but he said that if the councillor does not resign, White intends to pursue a suspension and investigation.
In Gould’s letter, the chief offered to attend a council meeting to provide education about residential schools. White said council has taken Gould up on his offer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2023.