Powell River’s name change process impedes truth and reconciliation, panel claims
Frances Widdowson will travel to Powell River to combat misinformation concerning unmarked graves, and to discuss the book Grave Error as a counter-point to those advocating for the name change
On July 2nd I published in these pages a piece called Israel Wood Powell and the Cancel Mob. Essentially, this was yet another chapter in the mass hysteria involving false claims of murdered indigenous children discovered in clandestine unmarked graves at the sites of former Indian Residential Schools. Previously, the City of Quesnel in BC, also had a “chapter” detailed in these pages, in several pieces, the final one being Canada is finding out what Reconciliation really means: In Quesnel City, where the "Wackos" Roam Free.
Similar to the Quesnel debacle, Frances Widdowson (one of the contributing authors to Grave Error) will be travelling to Powell River, this time to give a presentation on the city’s controversial name change proposal. Below is a press release with the details. Stay tuned to these pages for a “post-game” analysis of Frances’ Powell River talk.
Press Release:
Powell River’s name change process impedes truth and reconciliation, panel claims
POWELL RIVER, BC: On Monday, July 8, a number of concerned citizens will be meeting at the Powell River Public Library to discuss the problems they perceive with the name change process. The panel is entitled “Divisive Misinformation: Powell River’s Dictatorial Name Change Conversation”.
The panel will feature two Powell River residents – Arthur Richards and Ted Vizzutti – and Frances Widdowson, an academic consultant and contributor to the book Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools).
Widdowson was invited to come to Powell River by another concerned citizen, Diane Sparks, who thought of the idea after seeing the events unfold at the City of Quesnel in April. Widdowson travelled to Quesnel to ask questions after the council had voted unanimously to condemn Grave Error; city councillors told her that they didn’t care about her views, and she was “not welcome” there.
Sparks also has invited Widdowson to be a consultant in a delegation that she will be giving at City Hall on July 9 at the Committee of the Whole meeting. Sparks and Widdowson will be speaking on the subject “We must have truth before we will achieve reconciliation”. “In order to determine the truth”, says Sparks, “we need to hear all sides of the issue, and this did not happen in the consultation process. The consultants hired made it difficult for the majority of citizens, who oppose the name change, to have their voices heard ”.
The two other presenters on the panel have personally experienced attempts to constrain their opinions about the name change. Arthur Richards, an amateur historian, had prepared a presentation for council in April 2022 to provide a more complete picture of Israel Powell’s relationship to indigenous people. Richards’ presentation, however, was deleted from the Agenda when members of the Tla’amin Nation staged a protest at City Hall to prevent it. Richards will now be able to present his findings at the library.
Ted Vizzutti, a paramedic in Powell River for 38 years, was forced into early retirement because of his opposition to the name change. On May 4, 2023, Vizzutti appeared with a group of other residents at Powell River City Hall and was told by his employer that he would be investigated for alleged “racism”, which was never substantiated. “I was made persona non grata in a field where I had performed admirably and enjoyed a great deal of respect and seniority”, said Vizzutti. “I never did anything wrong but I am being treated like dirt”.
The event will be held from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the First Credit Union Community Room (100-6975 Alberni St). Originally, the library asserted that the talks of the speakers would have to be vetted, but the booking was agreed to after Sparks and Widdowson had the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms send it a letter outlining its constitutional requirements.
For further information contact widdowsonfrances@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading. For more on the history and politics of Indian Residential Schools, read The peddling of Canada’s Indigenous mass grave and genocide libels by Canadian anthropologist Hymie Rubenstein.
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James Pew contributed a chapter to the best-selling book Grave Error: How The Media Misled us (And the Truth about Residential Schools). You can read about it here - The Rise of Independent Canadian Researchers
A long-form essay by Dr. M - Fulcrum and Pivot: The New Left Remaking of Toronto School Policy
For evidence of the ideological indoctrination in Canadian education, read Yes, schools are indoctrinating kids! And also, Yes, The University is an Indoctrination Camp!
Enough of this bs on these graves, this shit needs to stop, all renaming of roads and towns needs to stop, no point in changing a name to a name that no one can pronounce.
I applaud Widdowson's courage to once again enter the hornets nest and confront the angry mob. She should be aware, however, that there has been a run on pitchforks and torches at the Powell River Co-op.
" Marge, those people came after us with pitchforks and torches! Torches! At 4 in the afternoon! Homer Simpson