(Image Source: YouTube/Aaron Gunn)
A petition asking the Conservative Party to remove a controversial candidate has gained 15,000 signatures. Aaron Gunn, who is running for the North Island-Powell River riding on Vancouver Island, has faced backlash due to his social media posts. These posts touch on sensitive topics related to Canada’s treatment of Indigenous people and residential schools.
One of Gunn's most criticized posts was from 2020. He wrote, "There was no genocide. Stop lying to people and read a book." This comment stirred anger, especially because in 2022, the House of Commons officially recognized Canada’s residential school system as an act of genocide.
The online petition demanding Gunn's removal highlights this. It notes that it is unacceptable for someone seeking to be a Member of Parliament to deny Canada’s history. The petition also references the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which revealed the abuse and cultural harm Indigenous children endured at residential schools. These schools aimed to erase Indigenous cultures by taking children from their families, forcing them to abandon their languages, and subjecting them to systemic harm.
In another social media post from 2021, Gunn claimed that the residential schools were “asked for by Indigenous bands in Eastern Ontario.” This statement also sparked controversy and added to the backlash he faced from various groups.
Before the petition, Gunn had already received criticism from local mayors, the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, and others in his riding. In response, Gunn defended himself online, stating, “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.”
Despite the petition and criticism, Gunn did not respond to previous requests for comment. The deadline to replace candidates before Canada’s federal election, set for April 28, has already passed. As a result, even if Gunn were expelled from the Conservative Party, his name would still appear on the ballot as the Conservative candidate for North Island-Powell River.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has not indicated that Gunn will be removed from the party. While campaigning in B.C., Poilievre stood by Gunn, calling the criticism against him “misinformation.” He added that Gunn “wants to continue to condemn the residential schools and build stronger partnerships with First Nations people.”
CTV News reached out to the Conservative Party for a statement regarding the petition, but did not receive an immediate response.
Before joining the federal Conservative Party, Gunn ran for the leadership of the B.C. Liberal Party in 2021. However, the party rejected his bid, citing concerns about his stance on reconciliation.
