Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn against what he called a false and misleading smear campaign. 

Former members of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and local politicians, alleged that Gunn had denied the generational trauma caused by residential schools. Poilievre rejected the accusation outright.

“Yes, I do,” Poilievre said when asked if he still supports Gunn. “The letter is false. He has not denied the impacts of residential schools—that’s simply misinformation.”

I’d like to clear up what has been said today.

I have always been firm in recognizing the truly horrific events that transpired in residential schools, and any attempt to suggest otherwise is simply false.

I have never wavered in condemning these institutions of abuse, where…

— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) April 4, 2025

Taxpayer-funded media have focused their efforts of late on a social media post from 2021, where Gunn responded to claims that residential schools were “genocide.”

“There was no genocide,” he said at the time. “Stop lying to people and read a book. The Holocaust was a genocide. Get off Twitter and learn more about the world.” 

In 2008, the federal government under then prime minister Harper issued an apology and launched the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It reported that approximately 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools in Canada.

The Commission deemed the system "cultural genocide" in 2015, later upgraded to "genocide" by some.

Gunn, a documentary filmmaker, took to social media to defend himself. “I have always been firm in recognizing the truly horrific events that transpired in residential schools, and any attempt to suggest otherwise is simply false,” he said on April 3.

A full investigation into unmarked graves at former residential schools like in Kamloops, BC should be held, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tells Rebel News' Drea Humphrey.

"Canadians deserve to know the truth," he says.

MORE: https://t.co/pvvWf0dmdZ pic.twitter.com/NywwfbH3Dh

— Drea Humphrey - Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) January 22, 2024

On Saturday, Poilievre focused on Gunn's commitment to developing natural resources with First Nations.

“The choice in this election is clear: after a lost Liberal decade marked by rising costs, increased crime, and a weakening economy, do we want to keep a government that holds our First Nations people back?” he asked.

In 2021, former prime minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Canada had committed a “genocide” against Indigenous peoples. The same year led to the alleged discovery of 215 “unmarked graves” in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The supposed discovery sparked considerable uproar in 2021, leading to a wave of destruction against Catholic churches nationwide.

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation updated their reference to the suspected graves as “anomalies” last year. A call to action employed similar language as the 2021 declaration, replacing “children” with “anomalies.”

When I was co-chair of my dear friend Ellis Ross’ leadership campaign, Ellis Ross and our whole campaign team advocated for Aaron to have the opportunity to run and remain on the ballot — my view hasn’t changed: Aaron Gunn must be allowed to run.

Aaron is an outstanding young… https://t.co/EPkYW3UT3n

— John Rustad (@JohnRustad4BC) April 4, 2025

Chris Sankey, a former B.C. Conservative candidate and Indigenous entrepreneur, refuted claims disparaging Gunn’s character. “These tied and recycled attacks against him from 2021 are baseless,” he said.

Gunn has also produced documentaries on Indigenous and Canadian issues and interviewed First Nations leaders. 

“Aaron traveled to my community of Lax Kw Alaams and Prince Rupert,” writes Sankey. “He met with several Fishmen, community members, and elders,” he clarified, noting the Conservative candidate “was greeted with open arms.” 

B.C. Conservative Party leader John Rustad also defended Gunn, stating that media and NDP attempts to misrepresent Gunn’s views on residential schools are wrong. 

Rustad booted MLA Dallas Brodie last month from his caucus for opposing unverified claims of “unmarked graves” at former residential schools.

An NDP MP had previously proposed legislation aimed at criminalizing "residential school denialism" by making it illegal to deny or minimize the harms inflicted by Canada's residential schools.

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