Book Burning Criticized by Party Leaders During French-Language Debate

(L-R) Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Green Leader Annamie Paul, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet stand at their podiums before the federal election French-language leaders debate on Sept. 8, 2021, in Gatineau, Que. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Party leaders criticized book burning by a francophone school board in Ontario during their French-language debate on Sept. 8. The project was done in 30 schools in the name of reconciliation with indigenous peoples.

“It’s completely unacceptable to burn books,” said Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau, when asked by debate moderator Patrice Roy if it’s his duty as a leader to denounce the book-burning when the news first broke on Sept. 7.