Write a Letter to the Editor About Senator Beyak

Conservative Senator Lynn Beyak has made ignorant and offensive comments about residential schools and Indigenous Peoples for the second time this year. The Leadnow community isn’t going to stand for it. We are calling on the Conservatives to boot her from their party, once and for all.

Will you help us keep the heat on the Conservatives to act by making this story big in the media again? If enough of us write letters to the editor, we can make this story explode -- right when the Conservatives were hoping it was about to blow over.

This cutting-edge letter to the editor tool will send your letter to 5 local newspapers in your area. Use our talking points to get started, or write your own content.

Talking points:

• Ignorance and racism of this kind do not belong in any political party. If the Conservatives want to prove they are inclusive, they need to boot Beyak from caucus immediately.
• The Conservatives said Senator Beyak has ‘no role in their caucus’ but they have not taken any meaningful action to actually remove her from the party. They are basically giving Beyak a “time out” but leaving the door open to quietly putting her back into a position of power after this spotlight fades.
• Beyak’s been spreading untrue and damaging falsehoods about Indigenous Peoples. Her suggestion that Indigenous people give up their status smacks of privilege and ignorance about the rights of Indigenous Peoples in this country.
• Beyak’s ongoing claims that residential schools “did some good” are hurtful to thousands of residential school survivors and their families. Thousands of Indigenous youth died and/or were abused in residential schools, as has been well documented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Background reading on this issue:

[1] Beyak’s open letter (Lynn Beyak Senate website): http://lynnbeyak.sencanada.ca/p108070/

[2] Senator Lynn Beyak says First Nations should give up status cards (CBC): http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/beyak-indian-status-canadian-citizens-1.4284671

[3] Andrew Scheer 'condemns' Lynn Beyak's take on First Nations issues, but leaves her in caucus (CBC): http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/andrew-scheer-beyak-caucus-1.4295875

[4] Scheer not ready to remove senator Lynn Beyak from caucus (CTV): http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/scheer-not-ready-to-remove-senator-lynn-beyak-from-caucus-1.3592216

[5] Lynn Beyak removed from all Senate committees
(CBC): http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/beyak-senate-committee-1.4298801

[6] Conservatives need to remove Sen. Lynn Beyak from caucus over Indigenous comments: Liberal minister (Toronto Star): https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/09/19/conservatives-need-to-remove-sen-lynn-beyak-from-caucus-over-indigenous-comments-liberal-minister.html