Asterix and Tintin, among more than 4,700 children’s books destroyed in Canada for “offending” indigenous peoples | International

Destroying books is not the exclusive practice of religious fanatics or totalitarian regimes. The Providence School Board, responsible for the management of 30 Catholic and French-language schools in the province of Ontario, in southwestern Canada, burned or sent just over 4,700 works from its libraries for recycling, according to a Radio-Canada survey. The authorities of the said school board indicated that its content was “outdated and inappropriate” because it presented negative stereotypes about the indigenous peoples of Canada. The decision taken on these books, they assured, was part of the efforts to promote reconciliation with these peoples.

The public channel had access to a document containing the deleted titles and the reasons mentioned. The task was carried out by members of the school board and a group of “native companions”. The committee found that these books showed, among other things, erroneous historical accounts, racist and discriminatory images, sexualization and disrespectful treatment of cultural practices. He also deleted those that contained the terms “Indian” and “Eskimo,” which had been deemed pejorative for several years. The destroyed works include copies of Asterix and Tintin, as well as encyclopedias, novels and short stories intended for children. A total of 155 different titles failed the committee’s tests.

Although most of the books were sent for recycling, some were burnt to the ground. A video that Radio-Canada also obtained shows a ceremony held in 2019 where, after the action of the fire, the ashes of these works were used as fertilizer to plant a tree and thus, “transform the negative into the positive”. The author of the recording is Suzy Kies, a member of the review committee and cited as a “keeper of indigenous knowledge”. Similar ceremonies were planned in the different schools, but the pandemic halted the project.

The Ontario Ministry of Education said in a statement after the news broke that the selection of works in libraries is the responsibility of each school board. Personalities from the academic and cultural world have denounced the destruction of these books. Quebec journalist and writer André Noël has been one of the authors affected, since his children’s novel Traffic among the Hurons (published 20 years ago) was included in the committee list. Noel wrote on Twitter: “Its destruction surprises me and I find it excessive.” He said that what happened in Ontario’s school libraries deserves a debate, but that this controversy can distract and leave aside more pressing issues for Indigenous groups, such as difficulties accessing the library. potable water on certain reserves and land claims. It should be noted that some of the deleted works were written by Indigenous authors. Also, via social networks, the ethnologist Isabelle Picard (belonging to the Huron-Wendat people) addressed Suzy Kies: “Reconciliation, dear lady, it will certainly not happen like that.

The news of the disastrous fate of these books appeared in the middle of the federal election campaign. Reconciliation with indigenous peoples figures as an important element in rallies and party platforms. It is worth recalling the discovery in recent months of more than 1,200 anonymous graves on the grounds of former boarding schools for indigenous children; a discovery that shook the country. Erin O’Toole, leader of the Conservatives, said Tuesday: “It is possible to remove books and comics without burning them, but you have to have a respectful approach to issues of reconciliation and our history.”

Justin Trudeau, Acting Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, said on the same day: “Personally, I am never in favor of burning books,” adding, “It’s not mine or non- natives to say so. how indigenous peoples should feel or act to advance the issue of reconciliation ”. On Wednesday, Canadian media released information that seriously questions the indigenous roots of Suzy Kies, highlighted by her for decades. The appropriation of indigenous identity for profit has been denounced in different spheres by members of these communities. Also this Wednesday, after the media outcry, the Providence school board announced that it would suspend the process while awaiting the evaluation of 200 other works. Regarding information about Suzy Kies’ origins, the agency said she took her at her word when she said she had indigenous ancestors. Kies was also, since October 2017, one of the chairs of the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada. He tendered his resignation from that post on Wednesday afternoon.

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