Pitt Meadows councillors condemn Kamloops white nationalist gathering on National Truth and Reconciliation Day

In the wake of National Truth and Reconciliation Day, Pitt Meadows councillors condemned an apparent white nationalist gathering on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land that occurred the same day they attended Maple Ridge’s ceremony at Memorial Peace Park.

On Sept. 29, Couns. Gwen O’Connell, Tracy Elke and Bob Meachen spoke about the hurtful impact the Kamloops incident had two days earlier.

“I was a little ashamed this week that people stood on a bridge in Kamloops, wearing black uniforms and masked faces,” Meachen said. “That’s not Canada, that really isn’t.”

On Sept. 27, an estimated 20 to 30 masked people dressed in black gathered on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc land near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School earlier that morning.

Logos seen on some clothing appeared to be associated with Second Sons Canada, described as a white nationalist group. Later that day, masked individuals displayed a banner reading “Got Bones?” from a Kamloops overpass – an apparent reference to the 2021 announcement by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc of findings from ground-penetrating radar near the former residential school.

Kamloops and Tk’emlúps Rural RCMP said the banner and masks appeared intended to “intimidate, provoke fear and division.” Police said the group dispersed from the reserve after officers arrived and spoke with them.

O’Connell said the Maple Ridge ceremony was particularly emotional for her because of her own experience losing a daughter and knowing where she was laid to rest – something many Indigenous families whose children were taken to residential schools were denied.

“It’s such a heavy, heavy subject for all of us,” O’Connell said. “I know where my daughter is buried, but so many people did not know what happened to their children, and I think that is what bothers me the very most.

“Who would make up stories like that? It’s not a story. It really happened to these people.”

O’Connell also recalled living in a community with a residential school and witnessing abuse involving Indigenous students she attended school with, calling it “horrific.”

She said she was proud of how the relationship between Pitt Meadows and Katzie First Nation has developed.

“I’m proud of our community, so proud of Pitt Meadows and that we’ve come so far and that we are working hand-in-hand with the Katzie First Nation.”

Elke said it was meaningful to attend the Maple Ridge ceremony alongside the rest of council, particularly hearing Indigenous youth speak.

She then turned to the events in Kamloops.

“We stand with Katzie and Indigenous peoples,” Elke said. “This was a hard week in light of the events in Kamloops, which is just horrific.”

Elke characterized residential school denialism as racism and said remaining silent in the face of it risks appearing to accept it.

“More and more I’m feeling that by being silent, that’s saying that that’s okay, and that is not okay,” she said.

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Kúkwpi7 Rosanne Casimir told CBC following the incident that the community was upset and described the gathering as particularly disturbing immediately before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Meachen also condemned the masked gathering, saying he believed its purpose was intimidation.

“It was there to intimidate. It was there to intimidate the weakest in the community,” he said.

Meachen, who immigrated to Canada from Great Britain in 1988, said becoming a Canadian citizen and taking the oath of citizenship remained deeply meaningful to him.

He said serving on Pitt Meadows council has also expanded his understanding of Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples.

“I’ve learned more in the last eight years working with this council, particularly my colleague Tracy, about what really went on in the history of Canada in regards to First Nations, and I’m grateful for that understanding now,” Meachen said.

The Sept. 27 incident prompted condemnation from Indigenous leaders and political leaders across B.C. Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc said the presence of people associated with white supremacist and white nationalist activity in the community was deeply concerning, particularly for survivors and their families.

Pitt Meadows councillors noted the incident provided a stark contrast to the ceremony they had attended in Maple Ridge that same day, which focused on acknowledging the harms of residential schools and strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities.

“I also stand with our Katzie First Nation brothers and sisters,” Meachen said. “I’m thankful that our city has moved forward in that relationship over the last number of years.”