OneBC leader Dallas Brodie introduced a bill Thursday aimed at preventing public institutions from performing land acknowledgements.The "Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act" was defeated at first reading after members of the BC NDP, BC Greens, and BC Conservatives voted against it.."Land acknowledgements are the anthem of a suicidal nation," Brodie began. "They're recited in classrooms, boardrooms, and before virtually every public event. They're repeated ritualistically to instil the belief that our country is illegitimate, that Canada has no right to exist, that our ancestors are evil, and that our history must be abrogated."The bill would have made it "unlawful for publicly-funded institutions and their employees ... to make or to compel others to make land acknowledgements that deny the sovereignty of the Crown over the lands of British Columbia, or that attribute collective guilt based on race, ancestry, or the historical actions of Canadian figures.""Our bill expressly protects statements that are historically accurate," Brodie continued, "and includes provisions to guarantee academic freedom."She went on to declare that BC has a "glorious history," claiming that "our British founders entered this land in the 18th century as the untamed wilderness that it was ... and ... created a civilization we call home and enjoy today.""Our ancestors were not evil," she added. "They did not steal Canada — they built Canada, and we're not ashamed of that."MLAs Harman Bhangu and Heather Maahs were the lone members of the BC Conservatives to side with Brodie.
