A Progressive Conservative candidate in Greater Moncton is facing calls to step down over a now-deleted social media post.
Sherry Wilson appeared to compare Canada’s residential school system to the province’s school gender identity policy, known as Policy 713.
“This horrible tragedy is a stain on Canadian history, but it was only allowed to happen because children enrolled in school were isolated from their parents’ oversights, input and influence,” Wilson, who is running in Albert-Riverview, wrote in the post.
“We cannot afford to repeat the tragic mistakes that destroyed the lives of thousands of Indigenous families. Therefore I am committed to keeping the parents of minor children aware of, and involved in, their children’s development while they are entrusted to our government schools.”
The Progressive Conservatives updated Policy 713 last year and now require teachers to get parental consent if a gender-diverse student under 16 wants to use different names and pronouns.
Students have always required parental consent for their preferred first name and pronoun to be used for official records, but there was nothing preventing a teacher from doing so informally.
“Parents are trusted partners, and the primary caregivers in guiding the values that shape their child’s identity,” said Wilson, who has been a Progressive Conservative MLA since 2010.
“We must never put our teachers in the position where they have to hide important parts of a child’s development from their own parents!”
Chief Terry Richardson of Pabineau First Nation called on the Progressive Conservative leader to have Wilson removed.
“This woman should not be allowed to run for the Conservative Party of NB,” Richardson wrote in a social media post.
“Shame on you and shame on your party on this day dedicated to the memory of those children who were killed for their beliefs!!”
During a campaign stop on Tuesday, Leader Blaine Higgs said he has no plans to remove Wilson since she took down the post.
