Quesnel, B.C., mayor wins lawsuit against city after residential school book controversy

The mayor of Quesnel in B.C.’s central Interior, Ron Paull, has emerged victorious in a lawsuit against the city after he was censured and removed from numerous committees in the wake of a controversy surrounding the distribution of a book accused of downplaying the impact of residential schools.

The saga began when reports surfaced that Mayor Paull’s wife had shared a book titled “Grave Error: How the Media Misled Us (and the Truth about Residential Schools)” with community members. The book challenges the harm of residential schools and had been denounced by the Lhtako Dene First Nation for minimizing the traumatic impact of the institutions on Indigenous children. It was also alleged that Mayor Paull had recommended the book to other local elected officials.

In response to the controversy, Mayor Paull was censured and removed from his official roles by the city council in April of last year. However, Mayor Paull argued that he was not given proper notice of the meeting where council stripped him of his positions, and that the staff motion leading to his censure was unclear and lacked specific allegations against him.

After a lengthy legal battle, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Hugh Veenstra ruled in favor of Mayor Paull, stating that the resolutions against him should be quashed. Mayor Paull expressed relief at the decision, stating, “I’m happy that this is all coming to an end and now I look forward to getting back to the pressing work that I was elected to do.”

The controversy had strained relationships between the city and local First Nations, with the Lhtako Dene promising not to work with Mayor Paull going forward. The city council had argued that censuring Mayor Paull was essential to restoring these relationships and to successfully apply for grants or enter partnerships with other levels of government.

With the court ruling in his favor, Mayor Paull’s censure has been overturned, and the process to reinstate him to his committee positions is now underway. The city has accepted the ruling and is focused on moving forward to help council meet its goals.

The controversy surrounding the distribution of the book and the subsequent legal battle have been a challenging time for Mayor Paull. However, with the court’s decision, he is now looking ahead to refocusing on the important work he was elected to do for the city of Quesnel.