Tag Archives: Aaron Gunn

Politics

BC Conservatives under fire for letter backing Aaron Gunn

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Provincial and municipal politicians in the North Island-Powell River riding are joining the fray about whether embattled Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn should stay in the running for the federal seat. 

Last week, First Nations located across the riding took Gunn to task for his long collection of social media posts that argue the treatment of Indigenous people in residential schools does not amount to genocide. 

They demanded federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre remove him as a candidate, arguing Gunn has “absolutely no authority” to determine what constitutes genocide when it comes to Indigenous people’s experiences of residential schools. 

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Politics

Three Reasons 338Canada’s Riding Projections Don’t apply in North Island Powell River

Depending on which election poll you are looking at, the Liberals are leading by anywhere from 5 to 10 points nationally. The last poll to suggest the Conservatives were tied with them was taken by Abacus on February 4, 2025. An Angus Reid poll taken on April 7, 2025 found that in British Columbia the Liberal Party leads by 11 points. 

It’s more difficult to get a breakdown riding by riding. While 338Canada’s projections are generally fairly accurate, they are calculated using a mostly proportional swing model adjusted with provincial and regional polls. In North Island Powell River there are currently at least three factors which this approach does not take into account. 

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Indigenous Nations History

Aaron Gunn, Residential Schools and the Meanings of Genocide

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In a series of tweets between 2019 and 2021, the Conservative candidate for North Island Powell River, Aaron Gunn, argued against the the idea that residential schools were a form of genocide.  In the first of these he agreed that they were ‘truly horrific events,’ but added that people should not refer to them with a loaded word like ‘genocide’ that does not remotely reflect the reality of what happened.” He was wrong, residential schools are a perfect example of genocide.

Mr Gunn’s understanding of the term appears to be limited to ‘killing of a large number of people,’ but when Raphael Lemkin coined the term he stated it wasn’t necessary to kill people. There were also genocides of political and social institutions, culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups.

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Politics

Elected & Former Politicians In Support of Aaron Gunn

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Public letter from the office of MLA Anna Kindy

The public deserves the truth. Aaron Gunn has been a tireless advocate for taxpayers, a firm supporter of our resource sector, and a nationally-renowned filmmaker on important issues such as public safety and the addictions crisis.

As elected representatives from across the North Island-Powell River riding, we feel compelled to speak out in strong support of Aaron Gunn, whose character and record have been profoundly misrepresented in a troubling smear campaign.

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Indigenous Nations History, Politics

Aaron Gunn responds: About Residential Schools

Originally published on Twitter

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 countless First Nations suffered at the hands of a patronizing federal government. 

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