Post by biggordie on Jun 11, 2008 16:55:10 GMT -5
For more than a hundred years, the government of Canada funded residential schools for Indian children, which schools were operated by four major churches across Canada [with the exception of Newfoundland, which only joined Canada in 1949, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island]. It is estimated that more than 150,000 First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children were forceably removed from their homes and sent to these schools. Many suffered abuse, physical and sexual, and all were forbidden to speak their native languages, to practice their own religions, or to do anything remotely connected with their cultures.
The stated reason for these abductions was to assimilate these children into the culture of the majority - the white majority. The "experiment" failed miserably, although nobody in authority seemed to notice for over a hundred years. The result was fractured families, decimated communities, the loss of the matriarchal society which had prevailed, NDN children being adopted out to white families, substance abuse, "lost" people in the tenderloins of big cities, where they were neither NDN nor white and etc etc etc. The effects of the abuse are still being felt by thousands and it is estimated that there are now about 80,000 survivors of the residential school program. Many did not survive. Most never returned to their original communities. Suicides became just as frequent as they were predictable.
The program was disbanded several years ago, and a few years ago, the government reached an agreement with an association representing the survivors on a compensation package, the details of which are likely available somewhere on line.
Today, 11 June 2008, the Prime Minister of Canada rose in the House of Commons to apologize to the the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, especially those directly affected by the Indian Residential School Program for the failure of governments to recognize the wrongness of it all, for permitting the excesses to continue for so long, and for all of it, in detail and in toto. This apology, offered on behalf of Canada and all Canadians, was witnessed by aboriginal leaders seated in the well of the floor of the House, and was echoed by the leaders of the major political parties. The aboriginal leaders were allowed to speak, and several of them took advantage of the opportunity [the Rules of the House were suspended for the nonce].
Many First Nations people crowded the galleries of the Commons, and were allowed to applaud, yell, and even to beat a drum - all of which are normally forbidden [and for which I was once thrown out - 1969]. There were TV monitors installed outside the Parliament Buildings and a crowd of hundreds, perhaps thousands, was party to the goings-on inside, live as they went on. It was not uncommon to see tears being wiped from eyes, NDNs and members of parliament, as the speeches progressed - of course, being a manly man, I did not weep at all
It was a historical event. Aboriginal people gathered all across the country to watch the proceedings, from coast to coast, and I watched from my little attic, lending my applause to the rest.
Gordie
The stated reason for these abductions was to assimilate these children into the culture of the majority - the white majority. The "experiment" failed miserably, although nobody in authority seemed to notice for over a hundred years. The result was fractured families, decimated communities, the loss of the matriarchal society which had prevailed, NDN children being adopted out to white families, substance abuse, "lost" people in the tenderloins of big cities, where they were neither NDN nor white and etc etc etc. The effects of the abuse are still being felt by thousands and it is estimated that there are now about 80,000 survivors of the residential school program. Many did not survive. Most never returned to their original communities. Suicides became just as frequent as they were predictable.
The program was disbanded several years ago, and a few years ago, the government reached an agreement with an association representing the survivors on a compensation package, the details of which are likely available somewhere on line.
Today, 11 June 2008, the Prime Minister of Canada rose in the House of Commons to apologize to the the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, especially those directly affected by the Indian Residential School Program for the failure of governments to recognize the wrongness of it all, for permitting the excesses to continue for so long, and for all of it, in detail and in toto. This apology, offered on behalf of Canada and all Canadians, was witnessed by aboriginal leaders seated in the well of the floor of the House, and was echoed by the leaders of the major political parties. The aboriginal leaders were allowed to speak, and several of them took advantage of the opportunity [the Rules of the House were suspended for the nonce].
Many First Nations people crowded the galleries of the Commons, and were allowed to applaud, yell, and even to beat a drum - all of which are normally forbidden [and for which I was once thrown out - 1969]. There were TV monitors installed outside the Parliament Buildings and a crowd of hundreds, perhaps thousands, was party to the goings-on inside, live as they went on. It was not uncommon to see tears being wiped from eyes, NDNs and members of parliament, as the speeches progressed - of course, being a manly man, I did not weep at all
It was a historical event. Aboriginal people gathered all across the country to watch the proceedings, from coast to coast, and I watched from my little attic, lending my applause to the rest.
Gordie
