A Book Burning in 21st-Century Canada Comics, biographies and encyclopedias go up in smoke in the name of ‘purification.’ By Michael Taube
Mention book burning and people think of Nazi Germany, or maybe Anthony Comstock. Yet the practice has made a comeback recently, in Canada of all places.
Conseil scolaire catholique Providence, a French-language school board for southwestern Ontario, launched an “educational program” in 2019 called Giving Back to Mother Earth. The goal was to replace library books “that had outdated content and carried negative stereotypes about First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.” Radio-Canada, the French-language public broadcaster, broke the story last month.
More than 4,700 children’s books from 30 schools across CSC Providence were targeted. The list included old encyclopedias, biographies of French explorers Jacques Cartier and Étienne Brûlé, and even French and Belgian comics including Tintin, Asterix and Obelix, and Lucky Luke. All were destroyed in a “flame purification” ceremony. A video for students explained the ritual: “We bury the ashes of racism, discrimination and stereotypes in the hope that we will grow up in an inclusive country where all can live in prosperity and security.”
This developed into a scandal—but not because of the book burning itself. Lyne Cossette, CSC Providence’s spokeswoman, told the National Post that “many Aboriginal knowledge keepers and elders participated and were consulted at various stages.” Among them was Suzy Kies, a co-chairman of the Liberal Party’s Indigenous Peoples’ Commission. But Ms. Kies—described in a 2017 press release as “an Urban indigenous woman of Abenaki and Montagnais-Naskape ancestry” with “extensive leadership experience in the private sector and within indigenous organizations”—turned out not to have status with Indigenous Services Canada.
“CSC Providence has learned of the shocking revelations,” Ms. Cossette told reporters on Sept. 10. “We were not aware that Suzy Kies does not have Indian status under the act and sincerely believed that we had the opportunity to work with an experienced indigenous knowledge keeper.”
Ms. Kies resigned her party post, telling Radio-Canada: “I refuse to have my story used to harm Justin Trudeau and our party.” The prime minister was asked about the book burning during last month’s election campaign. He replied that it wasn’t up to non-Indigenous people “to tell Indigenous people how they should feel or act to advance reconciliation.”
He did add that “on a personal level, I would never agree to the burning of books.” In 21st-century Canadian liberalism, book burning is a personal lifestyle choice.
Mr. Taube, a columnist with Troy Media and Loonie Politics, was a speechwriter for former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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