Comments made by a Liberal politician on residential schools have the Opposition demanding an apology, but the premier is standing by the leader's words.

Linda Larson, Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Okanagan riding of Boundary-Similkameen, made the contested remark at a health committee meeting last week.

"How long do you think before the legacy of those residential schools finally burns itself out of, you know, of the First Nations people?" she asked staff from the First Nations Health Authority.

Residential schools were part of a government-sponsored system meant to assimilate Aboriginal children into Euro-Canadian society.

Approximately 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children were forced to attend the Christian schools, and approximately 6,000 children died, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Larson was asked about the comment at a photo-op on Tuesday, and said the question was based on her desire to "move forward" and help with the healing process.

But the NDP accused Larson of insensitivity toward residential school survivors, and insisted that she should have known better.

"To ask when the residential school system was going to burn out of First Nations people shows a real lack of understanding of the long-term legacy of something like residential school," NDP MLA Carole James said. The NDP also demanded an apology for the question.

But Larson doesn't appear to be readying an apology, writing on her website that she was "surprised and disappointed" that the NDP would use her comments for "partisan purposes."

She also wrote that "what happened with residential schools was an absolute tragedy. There was and continues to be horrible consequences to people's lives because of residential schools."

Larson's statement did not include an apology, and the premier appears to be standing by her.

"The First Nations people who were in the room didn't express any offence at it at that time, so I think we can follow their lead," Christy Clark said.

The First Nations Health Authority isn't taking sides, but is pushing for a frank discussion about the devastating effects of residential schools.

"I think for me and for us, what is important is that we begin talking about the issue of residential school," said Richard Jock, chief operating officer of the organization.

"Underlying that, what are some of the issues relating to racism with respect to institutions and in particular health institutions?"

Jock said he hopes people on all sides of the discussion will approach the issues with "humility," acknowledging that there are some things they may not know.

"In the end there will be misphrasings or misunderstandings, but I think it's important to be able to address those and to move forward."

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan