On this day in 1534, French explorers under Jacques Cartier celebrate Canada’s first Roman Catholic mass, at their camp of Brest on Labrador’s coast. Who knew?!!
On this day, this year, the Canadian government is set to give a formal apology in House of Commons to the survivors of the residential schools. For those that don’t know:
The residential schools were an extension of religious missionary work. They started receiving federal support in 1874 as part of Canada’s campaign to assimilate aboriginals into Christian society by obliterating their language, religion and culture. Well over 100,000 native children passed through the schools, most of which were closed in the mid-1970s. (Read more here: www.xanga.com/susanquay/657272987/harper-to-issue-formal-apology-to-residential-school-survivors.html)
The treatment of the original people is a disgraceful blot on the history of Canada. The effects of this attempt at cultural genocide echo down the generations to this day. The United Church of Canada has already issued an apology, but the native communities – and others interested in justice – have long lobbied for an official apology from Canada’s government. Today, June 11, 2008, it seems they will have that.
There has been much written about this criminal attempt at assimilating the proud First Nations people of Canada into white society. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has many, many clips from news stories and documentaries that they produced. Even after the schools were closed, the effects “for those who were subjected to physical, sexual and emotional abuse”(CBC) linger on. Read and watch some of their stories here: [link http://archives.cbc.ca/society/native_issues/topics/692/]
The schools across Canada may have been closed years ago, but the inherent racism against First Nations continued long after. Most recently, there has been an official enquiry into the death of native Frank Paul who was dumped in a back alley by police in Vancouver, where he died.
As has been documented in many places, this form of mistreatment of aboriginal people is not unique to Canada. Australia recently gave an official apology to their aborigines for past wrongs.
In Canada, there was an agreed financial settlement as some meager compensation of the suffering inflicted, and now we have the federal government set to formally apologize today. It will broadcast live on CBC radio.
Will this day be the closing of this shameful legacy? Hard to tell. As of June 2nd, a Truth and reconciliation Commission is starting a five year mandate where they intend to travel the country to meet with all involved parties to give a voice to all those affected by these schools. Critics have called this whole process a sham.
Only time will tell if the truth arising from this process will give real reconciliation. It is long overdue to herald a new era respecting the dignity of all our First Nations people.