Residential School Denialism

Quiet Canines Podcast · Sep 2, 2026 · 2m

This Indigenous lawyer is participating in classic residential school denialism, whether he means to or not. Alberta lawyer Leighton Grey spoke at the Alberta Separatist rally in Edmonton over the weekend. He told the story of how his grandmother was “grateful” for her sixteen years at an Indian residential school. He said it allowed her to become a nurse and raise her family out of poverty.

He may well be telling the truth. Maybe his grandmother did have a good time. But as an Indigenous lawyer, I would think he would know better. Using isolated, positive anecdotes to reframe a genocidal…