Liberal MLA under fire for remarks about natives
Last Updated: Friday, March 14, 2008 | 2:56 PM PT
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B.C. Liberal MLA Dennis MacKay is under fire for saying a lot of aboriginal people benefited from the residential school system.
MacKay, the representative for Bulkley Valley-Stikine, was speaking Wednesday to a meeting of the legislature's children and youth committee when he also questioned the parenting skills on aboriginal reserves.
"I have a daughter who teaches at an Indian reserve. It's called Moricetown. She comes home some days, and she's in tears because of the lack of parenting skills of these people who have had these children," he said at the committee meeting.
"We don't seem to be talking about what we can do to improve the parenting skills that are so lacking in these people who have these children who are, as you say, vulnerable in our education system and in their long-term lives as they move forward," he said.
"To me, it's the parenting skills where a lot of this problem starts, and we don't seem to be addressing that," he said.
McKay also questioned the extent of abuse that took place decades ago at residential schools.
"I don't believe for a moment that every child that went to a residential school was abused. I think a lot of aboriginal people benefited greatly from the residential school system, but we never hear from them," he said.
On Thursday, New Democrat MLA Nicholas Simons said Mackay should resign from the committee, and NDP Leader Carole James called the comments shocking and insensitive.
"I couldn't believe the comments that came from that member. I think that it's shocking," said James.
Liberal Ron Cantelon, who chairs the children and youth committee, says if anyone should apologize it's the NDP.
"To yank a quote out of context and to slur and throw it in the face of Dennis MacKay — a very fine, honest, straightforward guy — is disgraceful," said Cantelon.
McKay later defended the comments in a media scrum.
In the past, MacKay has sometimes been critical of his own government's efforts to forge a new relationship with aboriginal people.
Last year, he voted against two treaties with first nations.
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