I am Finally getting quesnelnews.com back to work providing information for those who want to be informed. I had to change the servers and program which made it more difficult.
September 2, 2024
No update on my court action so I will share this:
UBCIC Chiefs commit a grave error in labelling authors as racist deniers
By Rodney Clifton | Aug 30, 2024
UBCIC Chiefs attempt to suppress open debate on residential schools
Is anyone surprised that the Union of BC Indian Chiefs on Aug. 12 wrote to many provincial municipalities (Powell River, Kamloops, and Quesnel, for example) demanding they reject “Residential School Denialism”?
Their demand is in response to a book edited by C.P. Champion and Tom Flanagan, Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools). The authors of the 18 chapters include several well-known Canadian anthropologists, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and lawyers, many of whom have published extensively on Indigenous/non-Indigenous issues.
Even so, the organization of Chiefs call this book an “ardent dissemination of racist misinformation.”
Their letter to municipal leaders concludes with the following:
“The UBIC Chiefs Council stand with survivors and intergenerational survivors of Residential Schools and their families, as well as the children who never made it home and those who are harmed by the actions of those involved with the production and distribution of the book … and the deeply troubling trend of Residential School racist denialism and any unwillingness to accept facts and the work of experts.”
“We look forward to your response.”
As an author of a chapter in Grave Error, as co-author of two other chapters, and as a co-editor with Mark DeWolf of From Truth Comes Reconciliation: An Assessment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, I am pleased to respond to the Chiefs.
My recommendation to municipal leaders, and other concerned Canadians, is that before you respond to the Chiefs, you should read Grave Error and make up your up your own minds.
On Amazon, Grave Error has over 800 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. In fact, this book is ranked first on three Amazon lists, and it has been a best seller for many months.
One of the top Amazon reviews begins, “A well-researched, non-partisan and balanced approach to the hysterical outpourings of recent years.” Another review says, “There is not one whiff of racism or hatred in this book.”
As a contributing author to Grave Error, I will add a little of my history.
I lived for four months during the Summer of 1966 in the teachers’ wing of Old Sun, the Anglican Residential School on the Siksika (Blackfoot) First Nation in Southern Alberta. At the time, students were still in residence, and I was a 21-year-old university student intern working at the Band Office, where about half the employees were Siksika members. Also, most of the employed in Old Sun, where I lived, were Siksika.
In the fall of 1966, I became the Senior Boys’ Supervisor in Stringer Hall, the Anglican residence in Inuvik, NWT, where I looked after 85 mostly Indigenous boys in three dorms. About half of the employees in this residence were Indigenous.
I returned to the University of Alberta for the 1967-68 academic year, and in the summer of 1968, I was employed as the Beach Supervisor and Swimming Instructor in Uranium City, Northern Saskatchewan, where I taught swimming to many Indigenous children in a local lake.
Finally, in September 1968, Elaine Ayoungman, a young Siksika woman I met in 1966, and I were married in the Anglican Church in Strathmore, Alberta. Elaine had been a student in Old Sun for 10 years, and this September, we will celebrate our 56th wedding anniversary. We are still married, and, no doubt, surprisingly to the BC Chiefs, we are still in love.
By now, readers will realize that I strongly reject the UBCI Chiefs’ claim that I, or any of the other authors with chapters in Grave Error, are “racist deniers” of the reality of Indian Residential Schools.
In short, my message to the BC municipal leaders is to resist echoing the opinion of the UBCIC, me, or the opinions of over 80 percent of the reviews on Amazon who awarded the book a 4 or 5. My message is simple: Read Grave Error and make up your own mind. Likewise, my message to Canadians who want to know more about Indian Residential Schools is to listen to the survivors and Chiefs but also read the Truth and Reconciliation Report and then read both Grave Error and From Truth Comes Reconciliation.
Rodney A. Clifton is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba and a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. His most recent book, with Mark DeWolf, is From Truth Comes Reconciliation: An Assessment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report (Sutherland House Press, 2024). The book can be preordered from the publisher.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For the time being this site will be about what is happening to me and my family in Quesnel due to sharing the book Grave Error.
July 14, 2024
Billy Barker Days Post
We understand the concerns surrounding the decision to ask Ron Paull not to be involved in this year’s Billy Barker Days. This decision was made with the best interest of the festival and our community in mind. There is absolutely no political agenda behind this decision. It was based solely on maintaining a respectful and collaborative relationship with all parties involved, including the Lhtako Dene Nation. Our priority is to ensure a harmonious and inclusive event for everyone. We deeply value Ron’s past contributions and hope to work together positively in the future. Thank you for your understanding and support.
#BillyBarkerDays#CommunityFirst#Inclusivity#Respect#quesnelbc
July 14, 2024
Something has to said about the Billy Barker Days Society!
Like Ron the mayor of our City, Barry is the president of Billy Barker Days. Like Ron he is a long time supporter and we appreciate all he has done. We have always admired Barry as he was always a real people’s person!
We used to love the relationship all BB Days members…growing with their families, frequent visits, with Barry and Louise, buying puppy during Covid, supporting the Occidental and the great music and food they provided etc. We were a big happy family caring for each other!
The president gets blamed or credited for what the Society decides as he is the only public person mentioned! So Barry, please return phone calls and if you can’t do it get someone else to call.
We used to love getting together and being part of Billy Barker Days, but not this year due to the actions of the Society.
The Billy Barker Days Society has become political for some reason! As was displayed at Corp Night, no Mayors message in the printed program, no speaking on the stage during Billy Barker Days…etc.They should appreciate their only founding member, still in Quesnel, rather than ostracizing him.
So sad as their actions are only further dividing our community! We look forward to working through this difficult time together.
July 12, 2024
The other night, Tuesday, at the Billy Barker Corp Appreciation Night we were there for Ron to accept the plaque on behalf of the City as the City had instructed BB Days office Ron would attend. I don’t think Ron has ever missed a Corp Night.
Mitch Vik was called to accept the plaque on behalf of the City, not Ron…. even though upon registration, Mitch’s name was crossed off the list and Ron’s inserted. I believe this list was used to advise the Society of who was present. I could not believe what had happened and I went and spoke to Mitch after and told him how disrespectful it was that he accepted the plaque and not Ron. He said he was asked by BB Days member to do so. Mitch called the next day and apologized stating Debbie Wiens had called him at 6 that evening asking him to be there as Laurey Anne couldn’t be. Debbie knew Ron was present!
This is such a game and one that has to stop. Ron always sells programs in the parade but this year the BB Days society has not called him, nor has Barry, the president returned Ron’s calls. Again, I believe, like in the park on Canada Day, the natives have stated if Ron is there they will not be involved. Ron chose to leave the park on Canada Day so as not to create a scene as the natives said they would leave if Ron went on the stage. It should not be a choice between Ron, our mayor and the natives! Ron was elected to represent the city and its taxpayers. This is the first year we will leave town for this event…so sad!
Billy Barker Days Society has to know this is not acceptable. Ron is the only founding member living in Quesnel, of Billy Barker Days and has never missed one…always proud of our city…and now some members are showing such disrespect. Ron also sponsored BB Days for over 23 years when he was in business and has always been so proud of this event.
Please call the BB Days office and let them know this is not acceptable. 250 992 1234. Please get as many people as you can to call them. Perhaps if enough people call they will see that they need to respect our mayor.
July 9, 2024
Today I sent the following letter to the City. Something has to change! The hate and division is hurting our City.
Pat Morton
Address withheld
Quesnel BC
V2J 3A7
Mayor and Councillors
City of Quesnel
July 9, 2024
As I now have the information provided under FOI I am requesting council support a punishment for Councillor Roodenburg for lying about me at the public council meeting on March 19th. At this meeting she tried to discredit me by stating there were two incidents the city had to relate to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lhtako Dene due to my actions.
I certainly expect the punishment to fit the crime. You have ruled, questioning if the book Grave Errors should be allowed in a library, necessitated censure and sanctions but lying to discredit someone is much more serious. Councillor Roodenburg should no longer represent the City in any capacity, especially as the Indigenous liaison for the City, for the remainder of her term on council. Councillor Roodenburg stated she bought the book so why is that ok? Please, remember, it is council’s actions regarding the book that made Quesnel look bad worldwide, not my asking for an opinion. Question as to why and who is responsible for making this situation so public. And question the motive.
The actions of Councillor Roodenburg on April 2nd also should be addressed. The anger and hate she displayed was very unprofessional and the malice in her actions was undeniable.
I am also requesting a full public apology from Councillor Roodenburg. I had to pay $315.60 for a Freedom of Information request to the City to prove there was only one instance, within the past two years where my name was mentioned, in dealing with the MOU and Lhtako Dene, the current one. Councillor Roodenburg, as the Indigenous liaison, should have tried to make sure this was dealt with in a manner that protected the City, by not taking sides and dividing the community.
I look forward to hearing of council’s decision.
Sincerely
Pat Morton
Councillor Laurey Ann Roodenburg
Transcript of meeting March 19th
“councillor Roodenberg thank you um so tony all that strength that you showed tonight thank you because I know I don’t have that in me and I will try to get through this so yes I am the first nations liaison for this council and with that comes a lot of of um responsibility that you don’t see at the council table it’s about building those relationships that are so important when you want to work with your first nations community so um I respect the fact that people have the right to their own opinions but what I don’t see here is the respect that your wife has shown you in your role as mayor of this community we know that what has happened reflects not only on you but on council and on our community as a whole the anger and reopening of old memories is doing serious harm to our first nations communities not just latako but the other surrounding communities that we are trying to work with this is the second time in less than two years that council has had to reaffirm our commitment to our mou with latako because of comments or actions that have been taken by the mayor’s wife pat morton in regards to first nations and residential schools to distribute a book that claims cultural genocide did not occur is morally reprehensible and clearly comes from a place that is meant to do harm to members of our first nations communities I know that over the past week that the nations have had opportunities to sit together on projects that they’re working with with the province and the book issue has come up and there is a consensus amongst the nations that this is not okay that their elders and communities are suffering because of this being out in the community there is no excuse for this type of behavior in our community period and I don’t care whether you think it’s about your own opinion and having the right to to voice it it’s about how this shows showcases our community to the rest of BC and to the world so Mr. Mayor I’m really disappointed I know that you said you respect the fact that she has her own opinion but again I reiterate the fact that she’s not respecting the fact that you are the mayor of this community and what she does in the community reflects on not only you but on our council and on our community no matter how much of that good work that you’ve talked about we have done it only takes one situation like this to blow that completely out of the water so I’ll leave it at that I do have a couple motions coming up but I know that the people probably have a few more words they’d like to speak to okay thank you…”
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: foi <foi@quesnel.ca>
To: “‘PAT MORTON'” <patmorton@shaw.ca>, foi <foi@quesnel.ca>
Cc:
Bcc:
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:11:41 +0000
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: 5-24-01 – FIPPA REQUEST – INVOICE & RECORDS
Hi Pat,
A request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is a request for records. As noted in the letter, the City does not include publicly available records in the search.The video recording of the Council meeting is the one record the City has regarding your first request which you already have access to and referred to. The City conducted a search for additional records related to this and could not find any.
Kari Bolton
Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Deputy City Manager
City of Quesnel | 410 Kinchant St, Quesnel BC V2J 7J5
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
S