News Release
October 13, 2026

UBCIC Demands the Removal of Conservative Candidate John Henderson in Powell River-Sunshine Coast

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – October 13, 2026) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is calling for the immediate removal of candidate John Henderson, who brought the book Grave Error to the Sechelt municipal hall while he was Mayor in 2024, and discussed with senior staff. The book calls into question widely documented evidence of the horrendous truths of Indian Residential Schools and has been criticized and rejected broadly including by the UBCIC Chiefs Council through resolution.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, stated “When the B.C. Conservative Party announced Mr. Henderson’s candidacy on October 1, the very day after people across the country marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it felt like a slap in the face. As the UBCIC Chiefs-in-Assembly have noted, the pain of Residential School denialism is deeply offensive and compounds the suffering that generations of survivors have already endured and has no place in public discourse. Particularly concerning is the dissemination of misinformation and harmful denialism by individuals elected to public office. No individual should be acclaimed by any party when they have perpetuated Residential School denialism, including Mr. Henderson.” 

In 2024, the Sechelt District Council passed a motion supporting UBCIC Resolution 2024-33 which rejected Residential School racist denialism and dissemination of racist misinformation put forward by the authors of Grave Error. Only Mayor John Henderson did not support the motion. In correspondence, the shíshálh Nation denounced his leadership and called on him to resign, followed by the UBCIC calling for him to resign via Resolution 2024-61. The district council appointed a liaison to speak on their behalf without involving the mayor. The mayor has not apologized since that time, nor did he resign. This was publicly reported over the last two years, but despite that, the Conservative Party of B.C. appointed Henderson as their candidate on October 1, 2026 saying that he “is ready to take the same energy, experience and record of getting things done to Victoria as the MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast.”

UBCIC upholds and honours Survivors and acknowledges the immeasurable pain they were forced to experience. We strongly urge all political party leaders, candidates, and the public, to listen to Survivors, who have bravely shared the truth through testimony in a variety of forms. 

Credible resources to learn more about residential schools:

•  The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports and 94 Calls to Action 
• UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre 
• Office of the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools Final Report
•  Oscar-Nominated documentary Sugarcane 

Mental health and cultural support resources can be found below:

• First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line and On-line 
  Counselling Service offers mental health counselling and crisis intervention to Indigenous people across Canada.
  Toll-Free: 1-855-242-3310; http://www.hopeforwellness.ca
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society 
  Toll-free: 1-800-721-0066
• KUU-US Crisis Line 
  Toll-Free: 1-800-588-8717 
  (First Nations and Indigenous specific) 
  310– Mental Health: 310-6789 (no area code) 
  Suicide Crisis Line: 1-800-784-2433

-30-

Media inquiries:
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, 250-490-5314
Chief Councillor Linda Innes, Vice-President, 778-884-5663
Chief Marilyn Slett, Secretary-Treasurer, 250-957-7721

UBCIC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

For more information, please visit www.ubcic.bc.ca

Download PDF