A’aliya Warbus, the house leader of the B.C. Conservatives in the provincial legislature, recently said that Indigenous Canadians “didn't ask” to be the beneficiary of inventions like the light bulb when discussing the debate surrounding residential schools. 

“You want the average Canadian to feel less bad. You want them to see residential schools as mostly good for Indigenous people,” Warbus said on the Nuanced with Aaron Pete podcast. “What did [One B.C. Party chief of staff] Tim Thielman say in that one post, we gave you the light bulb? Well, guess what, we didn't ask for any of that.”

On Tuesday's Rebel Roundup livestream, hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle reacted to Warbus' ridiculous remark.

Calling it “divisive garbage,” Sheila wondered if Warbus also “asked” for the eyeglasses she wears and suggested she try giving back all of the inventions she's benefitted from.

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“I take the viewpoint that you got electricity, and we absorbed some of your culture, and I appreciate it and I'm glad for it, and can we be part of the cultural mosaic of Canada,” she continued. “Apparently not, they didn't want the light bulb; we forced it on them, I guess.”

First Nations groups in Canada “had to make up a lot of ground” in technological advancements when Europeans arrived, noted Lise. The light bulb comment from Warbus was “an absolutely insane thing to say,” she added. “You don't like the way our civilized society developed through Europe over thousands of years? Then by all means, off into the bush you go, to live the natural way.”

Despite using the term “we” in her comments, Sheila said Warbus clearly doesn't speak for all Indigenous people, “but she keeps using this word 'we' all the time as though she's some sort of spokesperson for all Indigenous people instead of just herself.”

The worst part of the situation is that Warbus is the leader of the B.C. Conservatives in the legislature. “John Rustad, what are you doing?” Sheila asked of the B.C. Conservative leader.

“If you have these thoughts and beliefs, you're not conservative. You're just not,” said Lise.