Golden West radio apologizes for ad that downplayed residential schools

STEINBACH, Man. – A company that operates a chain of radio stations is apologizing for running a paid advertisement that downplayed the effect of the residential school system on Indigenous people.

Manitoba-based Golden West says the one-time program produced by the Frontier Centre For Public Policy was broadcast on some of its radio stations in Saskatchewan.

The two-minute-long ad said it was a myth that residential schools robbed Indigenous kids of their childhood and that most Indigenous children never went to the schools.

The spot also suggested it wasn’t true that residential schools stripped Indigenous children of their language and culture, and it disputed the intergenerational trauma of residential schools.

Golden West says it has been a leader on the Prairies for 60 years in broadcasting positive, uplifting content.

The company says the paid ad does not reflect the views of Golden West in any way.

WATCH: The ad that played on the radio station caused quite a stir

1:52 Frontier Centre radio ad describes effects of residential schools as myths