How Transport Canada’s Education on Residential Schools Went So Wrong – The Tyee

An Indigenous education program for employees met racist reactions in the department, reveal internal emails obtained by The Tyee.

The October event was the first in a series to provide the department’s staff across the country with information on the history and impact of residential schools.

But it was quickly derailed as attendees made comments denying or minimizing the effects of residential schools in the video call’s chat channel.

According to internal emails obtained by The Tyee, about 40 minutes into the session an employee messaged Nicole Nel, Transport Canada Ontario marine safety and security director, to say the meeting “seemed to be going south quickly.”

“I ended my meeting and joined the Indigenous Voices session immediately after that message. I could see from the chat messages that we had an issue,” Nel said in an internal email. “After the session I had people come to see me in tears.”