Renew relationship with Indigenous Peoples without trying to 'cancel' Canada: O'Toole

Photo: The Canadian Press

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says he's committed to a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, but stands firm against so-called activist efforts to "cancel" Canada, particularly on July 1.

O'Toole offered his insights on the moment the country finds itself in to members of his caucus and staff gathered in Ottawa before the House of Commons breaks for summer.

He called the discovery in British Columbia of what are believed to be the remains of 215 Indigenous children from a former residential school "a necessary awakening for our country."

O'Toole pledged that a government led by him would be dedicated to a renewed relationship with Indigenous Peoples, as speculation swirls that the minority Parliament may be headed toward an election.

The Conservative leader says the road to repairing the country's relationship with Indigenous Peoples doesn't involve attempts to destroy Canada.

He spoke out against calls from some to cancel Canada Day celebrations and singled out the actions of activists and those "always seeing the bad and never the good.”

"I'm concerned that injustices in our past, or in our present, are too often seized upon by a small group of activist voices who use it to attack the very idea of Canada itself," he said.

He added that, “We are not a perfect country. No country is. There is not a place on this planet whose history can withstand close scrutiny."

Standing up to cancel culture and the "radical left" was part of the platform O'Toole ran on to win the party's leadership last summer, where he billed himself as the "true blue" candidate to the Conservative faithful.

He's also been trying to modernize some of the party's positions and broaden its support base to include more people, including those who are Indigenous.

Like other federal party leaders, O'Toole has in recent weeks had to respond to the discovery of the unmarked burial site and demands for the government to make better progress on calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.