Frances Widdowson on the Questions Canadians Aren’t Supposed to Ask About Unmarked Graves

[@Quillette]

Hi all, I hope you enjoy the podcast. It was first aired on 13 April 2022, please keep that in mind as you're listening. Thanks, Zoe (Community Manager) quillette.com/2022/04/13/frances-widdowson-on-the-questions-canadians-arent-supposed-to-ask-about-unmarked-graves/

[@dt6822]

How about you let your guests speak for a change instead of constantly interrupting and soliloquying

[@jimmyzhao2673]

What always gets me is the term 'Knowledge Keeper', as if these people are some kind of oracle and they dare not be questioned.

[@seanmellows1348]

A very important discussion to keep alive. Widdowson is level headed, sincere, and respectful; it’s a disgrace the way she has been treated and portrayed. I feel certain history will eventually vindicate her position.

[@johncanada246]

This suppression of discussion should have a federal inquiry. Particular attention to those people trying to end the opportunity of discussion. Trudeau and Universities professors really showed how ignorant and harmful they are.

[@johnbolt665]

So they upended Pictons farm, but a place that supposedly has hundreds buried will never see a spoonful of dirt looked at, anyone care to know why?

[@Thalanox]

I suspect we all know why. I probably can't speak the reason without this comment going down the memory hole, but suffice it to say, it's not because honest people want the public to know the truth.

[@gaylethorn7692]

They bring these complaints to do 2 things. 1. Pretend it was a genocide. 2. Cash in. Our law firm had many clients under the TRC and we couldn't believe the BS that was being alleged. It was so over the top and it would never pass in a court of law. No facts involved at all and yet, they seemed to completely evade that issue and took out as fact. Disgraceful.

[@dt6822]

None of the deaths date to the middle of the 20th century. Theyre all before 1892. None after antibiotics were invented and made commercially available in the 1930's. 75% of children had TB in Saskatchewan census in 1921. We only discovered germs were cause of illness in 1860's with Pasteur, Koch and Lister. The Kamloops band chief fought to have the school there. But the Kamloops people did not stay at the school. They went home at night. Their families were right there. The children buried there died of natural causes and were buried bec there was no time to wait for their family and notify them in a time of no phones and instant communication because they had to contain TB outbreaks. Residential schools remain the recommended course of assimilating indigenous populations around the world as recommended recently by the United Nations special committee on this issue which proceeded to condemn the United States, Canada, and Australia, and then provided examples of the same exact thing and same exact method in China, Vietnam and elsewhere and lauded them. Canada has treated the indigenous people terribly. They were dishonored, spoken down to, not consulted, were displaced, and their cultural heritage was suppressed and beat none of them. They deserve better and it is up to us to make it better. Having said all that, the missing and murdered indigenous women inquiry is a complete joke. In the period of the examination by the inquiry, approximately 4,000 indigenous women were killed, the vast majority of them killed by indigenous men. In the same period of time, four times as many men, some 17,000 indigenous men, were also murdered, and nobody gives a shit about that. Finding of the inquiry that the missing women were missing because of Canadian genocide is totally irrational, because if Canada is responsible, then whose responsible for the missing and murdered indigenous women in the United States and Australia? Did Canada travel there? In other words, I sympathize completely with the fight for justice by these people and they do deserve Justice, but the absurdity of not being able to have an argument, and yielding to whatever demand and contradictory paradoxical claim is being made at any given time is not good for anyone.

[@dawnemile7499]

Even when the anthropologist reduced the number of unmarked graves in Kamloops Residential school grounds, mainstream media refused to change the number. I was called a "racist" because I told someone what I had read in the Globe and Mail about the reduction in number of alleged unmarked Graves.

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

So not as many kids were killed?

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

@@Jfre2 ahh it seems that you don’t believe the people that were actually there. Is that right?

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

@@Jfre2 Saskatchewan Star Blanket Cree Nation found a human Jaw bone 125 years old approx. That’s confirmed and that’s enough.

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

@@Jfre2 Actually it was nowhere near a known grave site. I’d say think on that. But you probably wont.

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

@@Jfre2 Those children were murdered. And the killers got away with it.

[@joanr3189]

We self-silence, speaking only after first making sure that it is safe. 🇨🇦

[@Stonehorn]

Maybe you do, I sure as hell don’t

[@Stonehorn]

If you aren’t allowed to ask the question, it’s exactly the question you should be asking

[@dennislaughton1676]

I have been through many old cemeteries in search of family information. It is not unusual to find families with children who died young. We did not have vaccines and medications nor even the dietary knowledge for healthy eating. I had in my family a Mrs. T. Laughton who gave birth to 9 children, 7 died before the age of 2. One of the boys lived to adulthood and was my G.G.G. grandfather. These early deaths, in my opinion were not unique to indigenous schools. I have used ground penetrating radar in agricultural settings and fully understand its limitations.

[@kevinoneill41]

Right. People died. Who are they. That is the question

[@mathewwelsh9129]

Jonathan Kay is an excellent interviewer. Very good at context and clarification and putting things in perspective

[@dawnemile7499]

The religious fervor is maddening.

[@johnmurray3888]

The Quillette podcast needs an update in the light of the move to discredit and oust the Quesnel Mayor, Ron Paull.because his wife was distributing copies of the book "Grave Error".

[@haidner]

As this interview was done in April 2022, it would be interesting to hear an update on what it covers. Has there been any further investigations done, for example?

[@just_another32]

totally

[@mowich7]

Short answer, no.

[@PeterMilster]

Another project by Trudeau to divide people over more lies, all he will be remembered for is Scams . The people involved in this scam should be charged for racism and hate, where is the actual proof other than we say so.

[@DavidDeshane-ic4cg]

It's all a shame.

[@maryanndeweerd2570]

Thankyou

[@pseudonamed]

It's a shame that it had to get exaggerated, because that distracts from what actually happened. The truth is that indigenous children died at these schools died at higher rates than white children at the same time.. but that does not mean they were outright murdered. They were neglected more, put under unhealthy conditions, sick children were not quarantined from healthy children, etc. It is definitely a tragedy but there is no need to lie and claim children were murdered.

[@62426637]

Exactly. The truth was bad enough. I still think that there may well have been 10-20 bodies there, but admit that none are proven.

[@MrDryqula]

In most cases, they were neglected less at the schools than they were at home.

[@pseudonamed]

@@MrDryqula You got evidence for that statement?

[@MrDryqula]

@@pseudonamed Yep, they keep trying to silence the people who tell their stories when they don't fit the narrative, but there are many who have testified to this. If you haven't heard their stories, it's because you aren't listening. And you're likely not listening, because you need those children to have been abused and murdered so that you can profit from it.

[@lorellgingrich6603]

@@pseudonamed TB , which originates from deer, elk and other ruminants, and alcoholism was rampant in reserves and when parents died and children were orphaned, often relatives could not or would not take those kids in so the residential schools took them in where they were fed, clothed and housed and educated. Just as "Roots" ignited a firestorm, so did "Indian Horse". I'm not denying that some schools saw abuses, but not all. Many Indigenous people probably most, had great experiences at these school while another percentage had bad experiences. That could be said about white schools too, Kids have been abuse there too.

[@cbryanto]

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Carl Sagan. I am deeply concerned of the motives of those so desirous of such heinous speculation.

[@mikestephenson647]

I think its disgusting that the woke can call this speaker a rascist and would not let her speak at the U of L. Asking important questions is not rascist. Truth is subjective.

[@mikestephenson647]

@@Glacialspring I think your very wrong on that. Freedom of speech is everyones fundamental right. I guess you havent noticed how free speech isnt so free anymore. Bill C16 is a prime example. Yes who is prime minister has a very drastic effect on your life. What Trudeau has done to our nation, our generation, and my kids generation will be paying for it. The fluidity for what is considered socially exceptable is deeply troubling.

[@peterburgess9592]

Its okay MIke we all think you're disgusting too.

[@janicehoward5915]

I think Widdowson would argue the truth is not subjective. Rather the woke mob is using subjective "knowing". I'm not sure she is arguing any absolute, exactly. But, she is certainly advocating in support of objective evidence. Objective evidence is verifiable (or not) and might be revised on the basis of other objective evidence. However, subjective evidence, although not invalid, cannot stand alone. This "knowing" that there are murdered children's remains there is subjective evidence. It doesn't mean it's wrong, but it does need to be supported, and so far it is not. It continues to flourish in the realm of urban legend. If it is to be anything other than that, it requires objective evidence to support the stories.

[@joanr3189]

Widdowson is the sacrificial lamb for the zealots in our midst. The zealot is not interested in the actual, story which is not as interesting as the myth that sustains our indignation.

[@wapbopaloubopramalamadingdong]

i worked as a dead body man and did some time in the graveyard. if you don't mark graves and its your favorite spot you're going to hit bodies digging holes or bury them on top of each other. if none of em were disturbed i'd doubt they were put there in haste and were likely marked at one time. ya don't dig holes with people watching thats why they used to dig 'em at night. there's always a possibility of something fishy going on. there is the odd guy under the wrong marker. i'm going with cremation cause at least i'm not goona be alone in my box. call a few graveyard guys.

[@t.o.o.smooth5870]

The last few years have taught us to pay attention to those they seek to cancel.

[@mpf5381]

And pay attention to those who cancel.

[@marcgordon6381]

i have listened to many interviews with and presentations by Frances widdowson. This one involves the interviewer interrupting Ms. Widdowson. So it was more her adding a few corroborating words to his point of view.

[@dumbdumber1885]

Yeah he's got a long way to go to be half as good as a cbc reporter huh?

[@dawnemile7499]

The fact that there are only 53 likes is quite telling. I researched the issue.

[@paulhwbooth]

Canadians gone bonkers?

[@sylviasmother7124]

Quite some time ago, in fact.

[@jimmyzhao2673]

for 9 years, ever since Trudeau was elected Prime Minister.

[@davecammidge]

Digem up

[@dawnemile7499]

What do people on reservations do for work?

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

Lots of things actually.

[@billblendick9780]

Nothing. That is why they need a. “Cash cow” !

[@dawnemile7499]

Guess what? You didn't do research. Indigenous parents had to sign consent to have their children go to residential schools. Many of the schools were located close to reservations and the children often skipped school and went home. If all these things were true it would have been exposed years ago. It has been researched over and over again.

[@pahashnafilmgroup7563]

What's the research? I'd like to know.

[@mowich7]

In addition, many of the schools were administered by indigenous people who taught and were councilors at them. Plus, it was the natives themselves who approached the government of the day on the necessity for the schools.

[@heinzriemann3213]

Inerupt less please. Some of this was hard to consume.

[@janicehoward5915]

I agree. The interruptions were not cool.

[@janicehoward5915]

I suppose that he is honest in disclosing, but the podcaster's opinion that "it is entirely possible" that there are likely is at least some murdered children secreted in graves (and some of his other editorial comments) suggest that he would benefit from a broader reading of the evidence and discussions. "From Truth Comes Reconciliation: An Assessment of the TRC Committee Report".

[@The88Cheat]

I've only just learned about this issue. What is the evidence currently?

[@stevenlightfoot6479]

@@The88Cheat None. No physical action taken. Yet more radar returns from a few other places have been publicized. Yet no digging anywhere. Pretty interesting, right?

[@stevenlightfoot6479]

Excuse me? It is possible, and if you are so convinced all these graves are actual graves, then please lead the charge to have them exhumed......waiting.....waiting. Curious how no one actually want to dig.

[@The88Cheat]

@@stevenlightfoot6479 Yeah, I just learned that yesterday. I think it's pretty irresponsible of journalists to perpetuate that "mass grave" and "genocide" narratives despite the lack of hard evidence and call people that point that out "genocide deniers." Ugh.

[@stevenlightfoot6479]

@@The88Cheat Yes, it is irresponsible, and that is one of the reasons why in Canada especially fewer and fewer people trust or listen to MSM and especially the CBC. On the other hand journo Terry Glavin covered it really well.