EVERY CHILD MATTERS

Summary

The Canadian residential school system forcibly assimilated indigenous children, causing lasting trauma. From the 19th century, over 150,000 children were taken from their families, subjected to abuse, and denied their culture and language. The last school closed in 1996, with 880,000 survivors still living with the effects. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission aims to heal these wounds, and remembering the victims on National residential school survivor day is crucial.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The residential school system in Canada was a dark chapter in the country's history, aimed at assimilating indigenous children into Euro-Canadian society.
• 📚 The primary goals of the residential schools were to teach English or French and convert indigenous children to Christianity.
• 👥 From the mid-1800s to the late 20th century, thousands of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children were taken from their families and forced into these schools.
• 🛏️ Students lived in substandard conditions, received inadequate food, clothing, and education, and were often subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse.
• 🚫 The schools enforced strict rules, forbidding the use of native languages and cultural practices, and often separated siblings by gender.
• 🔢 Over 150,000 children were forced into residential schools, with about 3,000 known to have died within the system.
• 🙏 In 2005, religious institutions began to apologize for their role in the system, and a compensation package was designed for survivors.
• 📢 On June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized for the federally financed schools and the tragedies that occurred within them.
• 🌟 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was relaunched in 2009 to provide truth and healing to those affected by the residential school system.
• 👕 National residential school survivor day is observed on September 30th, where wearing an orange shirt is a symbol of support for the survivors.
• 📚 Educating oneself about residential schools and supporting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are ways to help address the legacy of these institutions.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the Canadian government in establishing residential schools?

The primary goals were to teach indigenous children English or French and to convert them to Christianity.

When did the Canadian government start operating federally run schools for indigenous children?

The earliest federally run schools began operating in the mid-1800s.

What were the conditions like for children in residential schools?

Children lived in substandard conditions, received low-quality food, had poor housing, and wore inadequate clothing for winter. They were also subjected to a deficient education taught by unqualified teachers.

How were the indigenous children treated in terms of language and cultural practices at the residential schools?

Children were denied the right to speak their native languages, had French and English forced upon them, and were not allowed to participate in their culture's customs or faith.

What was the impact of the residential school system on the indigenous children's identity?

The children were not called by their own names, which were replaced by numbers, further eroding their cultural identity.

What kind of abuse did the children experience in residential schools?

Children faced physical, mental, and sexual abuse due to the strict rules and severe punishments for not abiding by them.

How many residential schools were there in total, and when did the last one close?

There were 130 institutions in total, and the last one, the Gordon residential school in Saskatchewan, closed in 1996.

How many children were affected by the residential school system, and how many are known to have died?

Over 150,000 children were removed from their homes and forced into the schools, and about 3,000 are known to have died within the system.

What steps have been taken to address the legacy of the residential school system?

Religious institutions have publicly confessed and apologized, a compensation package was designed, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was relaunched to provide truth and healing.

What was the significance of the apology given by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2008?

It was the first formal apology from a Canadian Prime Minister to past students for the federally financed schools and the tragedies that occurred within them.

How can individuals participate in supporting the survivors of residential schools?

Individuals can educate themselves, support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, take an interest in First Nations Metis and Inuit Affairs, and participate in National residential school survivor day by wearing an orange shirt.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Dark Legacy of Residential Schools in Canada

This paragraph discusses the traumatic impact of the residential school system on indigenous children in Canada. The system, initiated in the 19th century, aimed to assimilate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children into Euro-Canadian society by teaching them English or French and converting them to Christianity. The children were taken from their families and subjected to harsh conditions, including poor food, housing, and education, as well as physical, mental, and sexual abuse. They were forbidden from speaking their native languages and practicing their culture. The last residential school closed in 1996, and over 150,000 children were affected, with about 3,000 known to have died within the system. The emotional and mental suffering continues for the 880,000 survivors, and efforts such as apologies, compensation, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have been established to address the legacy of these schools.

05:00

🧡 Supporting Residential School Survivors

The second paragraph focuses on how individuals can support the survivors of residential schools. It encourages learning about the history of residential schools through research and visiting local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit affairs. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of participating in the National Residential School Survivor Day on September 30th by wearing an orange shirt as a sign of support. The message underscores the importance of remembering and valuing every child's life and the ongoing efforts to heal the wounds inflicted by the residential school system.

Keywords

💡Residential Schools

Residential schools were government-funded and church-operated institutions in Canada, established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. The video highlights how these schools aimed to strip children of their heritage, language, and culture. It emphasizes the traumatic impact they had on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

💡Forced Assimilation

Forced assimilation refers to the process by which Indigenous children were systematically removed from their families and placed into residential schools to adopt European languages and Christian practices. The video underscores how this practice led to the loss of cultural identity and lasting trauma for generations of Indigenous people.

💡First Nations, Métis, and Inuit

These are the main Indigenous groups in Canada. The video focuses on how these communities were targeted by the residential school system, which sought to erase their cultures. The suffering experienced by children from these groups is central to the video’s message.

💡Cultural Erasure

Cultural erasure in this context refers to the systematic removal of Indigenous traditions, languages, and practices. In residential schools, children were forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their cultural customs. The video highlights the long-lasting impact of this erasure on Indigenous communities.

💡Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a body established to investigate the residential school system and its impact on Indigenous communities. The video references the TRC as a key step in healing and educating the public about the atrocities committed during the residential school era.

💡Abuse in Residential Schools

Abuse in residential schools, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, was widespread. The video discusses how children in these institutions faced harsh treatment, punishment, and neglect. The legacy of abuse has had a profound and ongoing effect on survivors.

💡Survivors

Survivors are individuals who endured the residential school system. The video highlights that many of the estimated 80,000 survivors still live with the trauma caused by their experiences in these institutions, emphasizing the need for continued support and healing.

💡Prime Minister's Apology

In 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized on behalf of the Canadian government for the role it played in the residential school system. This apology, referenced in the video, was a significant moment in acknowledging the harm caused to Indigenous communities.

💡National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Also known as Orange Shirt Day, this day is observed annually on September 30 to honor survivors of the residential school system. The video encourages participation in this day by wearing orange as a sign of support for Indigenous communities, reminding viewers that 'Every Child Matters.'

💡Intergenerational Trauma

Intergenerational trauma refers to the psychological effects passed down from survivors of residential schools to subsequent generations. The video addresses how the abuse, neglect, and loss of culture experienced by children in residential schools continue to affect Indigenous families and communities today.

Highlights

The residential school system is remembered as one of the darkest times in Canadian history.

The forced assimilation of First Nations and Inuit children into Euro-Canadian culture.

Canadian government's responsibility to educate indigenous children began in the 19th century.

Primary goals were to teach English or French and to convert them to Christianity.

Federally run schools started in the mid-1800s, leading to over a century of harsh treatment.

Thousands of indigenous children were taken from their families and sent to residential schools.

Students were forced to give up their possessions and were treated poorly upon arrival.

Schools often split indigenous children by gender, separating siblings.

Children lived in substandard conditions with inadequate food, housing, and clothing.

They were denied the right to speak their native languages and were forced to learn French or English.

Students were not called by their names but were replaced by numbers.

The schools enforced strict rules and daily routines, including free labor.

Children faced severe punishment for not abiding by the rules, leading to physical, mental, and sexual abuse.

There were 130 residential schools across Canada, with the last one closing in 1996.

Over 150,000 children were removed from their homes, with about 3,000 known to have died within the system.

880,000 survivors of residential schools are still alive today, enduring emotional and mental suffering.

Religious institutions began to apologize for the residential school system in 2005.

A compensation package was designed to provide financial support to survivors.

The first formal apology from a Canadian Prime Minister was given in 2008 by Stephen Harper.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was relaunched in 2009 to provide healing to affected communities.

The era of residential schools has ended, but the scars and effects continue to negatively influence survivors.

Ways to make a difference include educating oneself, supporting the TRC, and participating in National residential school survivor day.

Transcripts

before that I was not afraid of the dark

but now I can't even sleep without a

light on because it always brings me

back to that time in

school I live with that I live in fear

of the dark because of the residential

school the era of the resident itial

school system will forever be remembered

as one of the darkest times in Canadian

history the forced assimilation of First

Nations matey and Inuit children into

the Euro Canadian regime ripped many

generations away from their Heritage and

culture during the 19th century the

Canadian government began to feel that

it was responsible to provide education

to the indigenous children in the

Country Primary goals for their

education system were to teach them the

English or French language and to

convert them to

Christianity the earliest federally run

schools were operated in the mid 1800s

beginning More Than A Century of harsh

treatment to integrate Canada's

indigenous youth into mainstream Society

thousands of children were taken to the

residential schools all across the

nation usually kept away from their

families for about 10 months a

year upon reaching the institution

students were required to bathe

communally and to give up all the

possessions that they had brought with

them they were given a small number of

clothes for the duration of the school

year and were forced to have their hair

cut by the staff though some schools

exemplified positive results for the

students the general outcome was a

negative experience for First Nations

mey and innu youth the schools even

split the indigenous children up by

gender often resulting in the separation

of

siblings children lived to in

substandard conditions receiving small

amounts of lowquality food poor housing

for sleeping a deficient education

taught by unqualified teachers and

clothing inadequate for

winter the children were denied the

right to speak their native languages

and had French and English forced upon

them they were not called by their own

names which were replaced by numbers and

they could not participate in their

culture's Customs or

faith the priest ministers and nuns that

ran schools set many rules that

restricted the freedoms of students and

forced them into daily routines that

involved not only schoolwork but also

Free Labor not abiding by these rules

resulted in severe punishment opening

thousands of children up to lives of

physical mental and sexual abuse

residential schools were put into place

all across Canada beginning with the

Mohawk residential school in total there

were 130 institutions that functioned

around Canada within most of its

provinces and territories the last

school the Gordon residential school in

Saskatchewan closed its doors in

1996 over

150,000 children were removed from their

homes and forced into the schools and

about 3,000 are known to have died

within the system 880,000 survivors of

residential schools are still alive

today and many continue to endure the

emotional and mental suffering that

their nightmarish experiences created

for them feeling internal struggles that

can survive through

generations eventually the religious

institutions involved began to publicly

confess and apologize for the

residential school system in 2005 a

compensation package was designed to

provide $10,000 initially to survivors

plus $3,000 per year attended at the

schools the first formal apology from a

prime minister was given on June 11th

2008 by Steven Harper at the house of

comons in his speech he apologized to

past students for the federally financed

schools and the tragedies that occurred

within them another groundbreaking event

occurred in 2009 when Michelle Jean the

governor general of Canada officially

relaunched the Truth and Reconciliation

Commission the main goal of the TRC is

to provide truth and healing to the

First Nations mate and Inuit people of

Canada that have been affected by the

residential school

system although the era of a oppressing

Canada's indigenous children within the

residential school system has ended the

scars still remain and the effects of

the school still continue to negatively

influence our survivors

today how can you make a

difference educate yourself by

researching residential schools online

or at your local library support the

Truth and Reconciliation Commission by

visiting their website and letting

others know about their mission

take an interest in First Nations matey

and Inu Affairs that are open to the

public in your hometown or

city most importantly participate in

National residential school survivor day

on September 30th by wearing an orange

shirt to support the

survivors always

remember every child

matters e