History
September 24, 2025
Statement by the Department of History on potential UW Visit about IRS Denialism
A former Mount Royal University professor has announced plans to stage an event platforming Indian residential school denialism at UWinnipeg this week. They were fired from MRU in 2021-2022 in part due to public statements criticizing the Black Lives Matter Movement and lauding the 'benefits' of Indian residential schools. They also planned events at UManitoba this week, specifically targeting the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation and IRS denialism scholars Niigaan Sinclair and Sean Carleton. They are known for creating public confrontation, filming it, and sharing it publicly to draw attention to themselves. Sinclair addressed their visit in his Winnipeg Free Press column on Tuesday September 23, where he shares some strategies for engagement (or non-engagement, specifically).
IRS denialism is mythology rooted in hate and racism and has zero factual basis. IRS denialists cherry-pick 'evidence' to support their arguments, and ignore the massive body of academic scholarship, archival documents, and Survivor testimonies that clearly disprove their theories. For more on IRS denialism and how to counter IRS denialist rhetoric, we encourage students to read Sean Carleton and Daniel Heath Justice "Truth before reconciliation: 8 ways to identify and confront Residential School denialism" and/or Reid Gerbrandt and Sean Carleton, Debunking the “Mass Grave Hoax”: A Report on Media Coverage and Residential School Denialism in Canada.
The History Department condemns IRS denialism and any platforming of IRS denialist rhetoric on campus. With compassion and support, we also acknowledge the harm that IRS denialism has on Survivors, their families, and communities. UWinnipeg faculty and staff are actively engaged in addressing the planned visit with UW Admin. The Indigenous Students Services Center will be contacting Indigenous students to inform them of steps being taken to support Indigenous students.
The History Department encourages all UWinnipeg students, staff, and faculty to attend Indigenous-led events marking National Truth and Reconciliation Day this week and on September 30th. The schedule of UWinnipeg campus events is available here. History Department faculty members will be speaking on Lux et Veritas: Shedding Light and Truth on the University of Winnipeg’s History with the Indian Residential School System on Thursday, Sept 25 10:00am-12:00pm 3C00. UWinnipeg is partnering with the Southern Chiefs Organization this year to support the Orange Shirt Day Walk and Pow Wow. The Walk and Pow Wow are public events open to everyone. UWinnipeg students, staff, and faculty who are interested in showing support by volunteering to work at the event can sign up here.
Department of History
University of Winnipeg
Academic Advising
For all your Academic Advising needs contact the following:
Chair of the History Department - Dr. Emma Alexander at e.alexander@uwinnipeg.ca
Undergraduate History advisor - Dr. Karen Froman at k.froman@uwinnipeg.ca
Graduate Studies - Dr. Janis Thiessen at j.thiessen@uwinnipeg.ca
