By Miranda Leybourne Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is lobbying Ottawa to make denying the history of residential schools in Canada a criminal offence. Late last month, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) put out a call to Justice Minister Arif Virani and the federal government to move forward on a recommendation made by special interlocutor Kimberly Murray to make residential school denialism punishable under Canadian law. According to a press release sent out by the AMC on Nov. 28, the legislation would provide a legal mechanism to address the denial of the existence of and harm caused by residential schools, which the association says undermines the experience of First Nations Canadians who went to such institutions. “This is an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate an…