First Nations Leaders Demand B.C. Conservatives Drop John Henderson

First Nations leaders, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and the shíshálh Nation, are demanding that the B.C. Conservatives remove John Henderson as their candidate for Powell River-Sunshine Coast. The calls follow allegations that Henderson perpetuated residential school denialism while serving as mayor of Sechelt, specifically by voting against a council motion to reject such denialism and discussing a book that questions residential school evidence with staff.

John Henderson denies the claims, stating he has never denied the existence of the schools, the graves, or the suffering caused to survivors. While a B.C. Conservative spokesperson dismissed the allegations as contrived, members of the B.C. NDP have criticized the party for approving candidates with extreme views.

The controversy adds to a series of challenges for the B.C. Conservatives. The party recently dropped candidate Joachim Agou following the discovery of racist social media posts. Additionally, Muslim associations are calling for the removal of campaign director Katy Merrifield over past anti-Islam posts. Merrifield stated she removed the original posts within hours, claiming her anger was directed at extremism rather than the Muslim faith.