All eyes on Kamloops: Frances Widdowson discusses 'mass grave' narrative

Kamloops: The Buried Truth

A new Rebel News documentary exposing the truth about the discovery of unmarked graves in Kamloops, British Columbia in 2021.

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The lack of truth-seeking around residential schools and the discovery of purported mass graves is concerning to say the least. While most Canadians would agree that a great deal of what went on at residential schools is extremely problematic, the unwillingness of authorities and bands alike to properly explore and investigate what really happened is irresponsible, and as we saw with the widespread arson and vandalism of churches across Canada, dangerous.

Politicians like Justin Trudeau were quick to board their private jets and roll into places like Kamloops for opportunistic selfies when the headlines of hundreds of dead children being discovered first broke. He wasn’t quite so quick to condemn the attacks on Christian places of worship that unfolded as a result.

When academics and journalists began questioning the facts surrounding the so-called mass graves, asking sensible questions like are any children missing or are there actually any human remains, those who’d made the startling claims were quiet. Instead of answering, there were concerted efforts to vilify anyone asking for a measure of scrutiny of these extraordinary claims.

For the time being it seems that the “smoke-screen” that envelops so many Indigenous issues will prevent the sort of investigation that the alleged mass discovery of human remains would prompt if it occurred virtually anywhere other than a reservation. This unwillingness to look at Indigenous issues in a critical light for fear of being deemed a bigot or denialist makes truth and reconciliation an impossibility as it blots out the truth from the get-go. This “smoke-screen” is a major contributor not only to the inability to reconcile the wrongs of the past, but also to the ongoing struggles endured by Indigenous communities today, with simple issues like access to clean drinking water being muddied with politically correct talking points rather than unapologetic action.

Frances Widdowson, a former professor of justice and policy studies who was fired from Mount Royal University for asking daring questions and defying the academic status quo, has approached these issues for much of her career free of the blinding glare of progressivism that needlessly confounds so many of these issues. Her book Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry is a must-read for anyone concerned or interested in the subject.

I was fortunate to be joined by Frances Widdowson for an in-depth discussion about Indigenous issues, residential schools, and mass graves, with all eyes on Kamloops as she and her colleagues endeavor to discover the truth of what really lies beneath the soil.

Rebel News has also been searching for the truth about Kamloops and our own Drea Humphrey has been working hard on a documentary entitled Kamloops: The Buried Truth, and you can watch the trailer for this upcoming feature here.