Sooke Brewing Fires Co-Owner Over Truth and Reconciliation Day Shirt on October 1

Sooke Brewing Company fired co-owner and head brewer John Adair on October 1 after a photograph showed him wearing a “Show Me the Evidence” shirt while working on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The image spread rapidly across social media, drawing widespread criticism from Indigenous communities and the public. The brewery closed its doors and cancelled all upcoming events while addressing the incident.

How the controversy unfolded

The photograph of Adair wearing the shirt circulated online on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The image spread quickly across Threads and Reddit, generating hundreds of reactions and comments. The timing and message prompted criticism from people who interpreted the shirt as questioning documented accounts of Canada’s residential school system. Social media users called for boycotts and flooded the brewery’s Google Reviews with one-star ratings.

Company response and termination

Sooke Brewing initially apologized Thursday morning, calling the shirt “offensive” and the incident “inappropriate and unacceptable.” The company stated the message did not reflect its values and acknowledged the anger and hurt caused, particularly within Indigenous communities. By Thursday afternoon, the brewery announced Adair had been terminated, effective immediately. The company said his “views and actions do not reflect the values of Sooke Brewing Company, its ownership or its staff.”

Impact on the community

Debra Lazzar, an elected councillor with T’Sou-ke First Nation, told CTV News the photograph was especially difficult to see after a day of community events. The community had gathered for an Orange Shirt Day event in Sooke to hear from speakers and elders and share Indigenous teachings. Lazzar noted that the effects of residential school history continue across generations, including for survivors who could not attend because of trauma. The brewery reached out to First Nations leadership to hear concerns and determine next steps.

What Adair has said

John Adair has not publicly explained what he intended the words on his shirt to mean or commented on the controversy. The brewery did not clarify whether his termination removed him from the company’s ownership or from an operational role. Carl Scott, owner of Sooke Brewing Company, stated the company “fully support[s] Truth and Reconciliation Day and everything it represents” and that the incident was “absolutely not an indication of the views of the staff and ownership.”

Final Thoughts

The termination reflects how quickly social media backlash can force corporate action on sensitive cultural issues. For businesses in Canada, the incident underscores the reputational risk of workplace conduct that conflicts with public commitments to reconciliation.

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