Canadian Federal Government Apology to First Nations

Summary

The speaker delivers a heartfelt apology on behalf of the Canadian government for the Indian Residential Schools policy, acknowledging the forced removal of children from their families and the resulting cultural and emotional damage. The policy, aimed at assimilating indigenous children into the dominant culture, led to abuse, neglect, and long-lasting negative impacts on communities. The government recognizes its wrongdoings and seeks forgiveness, emphasizing the importance of healing, reconciliation, and the establishment of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission to educate and forge a new relationship based on mutual respect.

Takeaways

• 📜 The speaker offers an apology on behalf of the Canadian government for the treatment of children in Indian residential schools.
• ⏳ The residential school system began in the 1870s with the federal government's involvement to educate and assimilate Aboriginal children.
• 🏠 The primary objective was to remove children from their home, families, traditions, and cultures to assimilate them into the dominant culture.
• 🌐 The policy was based on the assumption that Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and needed to be replaced.
• 🚫 The government acknowledges the assimilation policy was wrong and has caused great harm.
• 👶 Young children were often forcibly removed from their homes and faced inadequate living conditions in the schools.
• 🈲 First Nations, Inuit, and Metis languages and cultural practices were prohibited in the schools.
• 😢 Some children died while attending residential schools, and others never returned home.
• 💔 The policy has had a lasting negative impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage, and language.
• 🗣️ Despite some positive accounts, the majority of stories involve abuse, neglect, and the separation of families and communities.
• 🙏 The government apologizes for the forced removal of children, separation from their cultures, and the failure to protect them from abuse and neglect.
• 🤝 The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission represent steps towards healing and a new relationship with Aboriginal peoples.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the speaker's address?

The speaker is offering an apology on behalf of the Canadian government for its role in the Indian Residential Schools system, acknowledging the harm and lasting impact it had on Aboriginal peoples.

When did the Canadian federal government begin to play a role in the development and administration of Indian Residential Schools?

The federal government began its involvement in the 1870s.

What were the two primary objectives of the residential school system?

The two primary objectives were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their home, families, traditions, and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture.

What assumption was the policy of assimilation based on?

The policy was based on the assumption that Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal.

What has the government of Canada recognized about the consequences of the Indian Residential Schools policy?

The government recognizes that the consequences were profoundly negative and that the policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage, and language.

What were some of the conditions the children faced in the residential schools?

The children were often inadequately fed, clothed, and housed, and were deprived of the care and nurturing of their families and communities.

What cultural practices were prohibited in these schools?

First Nations, Inuit, and Metis languages and cultural practices were prohibited in the residential schools.

What has the Indian Residential Schools policy contributed to in many communities today?

The policy has contributed to social problems that continue to exist in many communities today.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Apology for Indian Residential Schools

The speaker delivers a formal apology on behalf of the Canadian government for the historical mistreatment of indigenous children in Indian Residential Schools. The policy of assimilation, initiated in the 1870s, aimed to isolate children from their families and cultures, assuming their heritage to be inferior. This approach led to significant harm, including inadequate living conditions, cultural suppression, and the prohibition of native languages. The speaker acknowledges the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse suffered by the children, the loss of life, and the lasting impact on indigenous communities. The government recognizes the need for healing and reconciliation, and the apology is a step towards addressing the profound damage caused by the residential school system.

05:01

🌱 Acknowledging the Impact and Seeking Reconciliation

This paragraph extends the apology for the consequences of the Indian Residential Schools policy, including the void created in the lives of separated children and the undermining of parental abilities. The speaker acknowledges the government's failure to protect the children from abuse and neglect within these institutions. The apology also addresses the intergenerational impact, where former students struggled to parent their own children due to their traumatic experiences. The government takes responsibility for the burden and seeks forgiveness from the indigenous peoples. The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement and the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are presented as steps towards healing and a new relationship based on mutual respect and understanding, aiming to contribute to a stronger Canada.

Keywords

💡Indian Residential Schools

Indian Residential Schools refer to the institutions established in Canada for the education of Indigenous children, with the primary aim of assimilating them into the dominant culture. These schools are central to the video's theme as they represent the historical injustices and the policy of forced cultural assimilation that the speaker apologizes for.

💡Assimilation

Assimilation in this context is the process of integrating Indigenous children into the mainstream society by suppressing their cultural identities and traditions. It is a key concept in the video as it defines the government's approach.

Highlights

Apology offered to former students of Indian Residential Schools for the treatment of children as a sad chapter in Canadian history.

Federal government's role in the development and administration of Indian Residential Schools since the 1870s.

Objectives of the residential school system were to isolate children from their home cultures and assimilate them into the dominant culture.

Assimilation policy was based on the assumption of the inferiority of Aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs.

Recognition that the policy of assimilation was wrong and has caused great harm.

Young children were often forcibly removed from their homes and deprived of parental care.

Prohibition of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis languages and cultural practices in schools.

Tragic accounts of children dying or never returning home from residential schools.

Negative consequences and lasting impact of the policy on Aboriginal culture, heritage, and language.

Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and neglect suffered by children in residential schools.

Contribution of residential schools to ongoing social problems in many communities.

Courage of survivors who have spoken publicly about the abuse they suffered.

Many former students died without receiving a full apology from the government.

The absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation.

Official apology for the role of the government in the Indian Residential Schools.

Recognition of the wrongs done in forcibly removing children from their homes and separating them from their cultures.

Apology for the damage caused to the ability of former students to parent their own children.

Acknowledgment of the abuse and neglect that occurred within the institutions and the failure to protect the children.

The burden of the experience being transferred to the government and the country.

The Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement and the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The commission as an opportunity to educate Canadians on the Indian Residential Schools system and forge a new relationship between Aboriginal peoples and other Canadians.

A call for healing, reconciliation, and resolution of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools.

Transcripts

mr speaker i stand before you today to

offer an apology

to former students of indian residential

schools

the treatment of children in indian

residential schools

is a sad chapter in our history

the 1870s the federal government

partly in order to meet its obligations

to educate aboriginal children

began to play a role in the development

and administration

of these schools two primary objectives

of the residential school system were to

remove

and isolate children from the influence

of their home

families traditions and cultures and to

assimilate them

into the dominant culture these

objectives were based on the assumption

that aboriginal cultures and spiritual

beliefs were inferior

and unequal indeed some saw it as was

infamously said to kill the indian in

the child

today we recognize that this policy of

assimilation was

wrong has caused great harm

and has no place in our country

the government of canada built an

educational system

in which very young children were often

forcibly removed from their homes

often taken far from their communities

many were inadequately fed clothed

and housed all were deprived of the care

and nurturing

of their parents grandparents and

communities

first nations inuit and metis languages

and cultural practices

were prohibited in these schools

tragically some of these children died

while attending residential schools

and others never returned home

the government now recognizes that the

consequences of the indian residential

schools policy

were profoundly negative

and that this policy has had a lasting

and damaging impact on aboriginal

culture

heritage and language well some former

students have spoken positively about

their

experiences at residential schools

these stories are far overshadowed

by tragic accounts of the emotional

physical

and sexual abuse and neglect of helpless

children

and their separation from powerless

families and communities

presidential schools has contributed to

social problems that continue to exist

in many communities today it has taken

extraordinary courage for the thousands

of survivors that have come forward to

speak publicly

about the abuse they suffered it is a

testament to their resilience as

individuals and to the strengths

of their cultures regrettably

many former students are not with us

not with us today and died never having

received a full apology

from the government of canada the

absence of an apology

has been an impediment to healing and

reconciliation

therefore on behalf of the government of

canada and all canadians

i stand before you in this chamber so

vital

so central to our existence as a country

to apologize to aboriginal peoples for

the role

the government of canada played in india

in the indian

residential schools to the approximately

eighty thousand

living former students and all family

members and communities

the government of canada now recognizes

that it was wrong to forcibly remove

children from their homes

and we apologize for having done this

we now recognize that it was wrong to

separate children

from rich and vibrant cultures and

traditions

that it created a void in many lives and

communities

and we apologize for having done this

we now recognize that in separating

children from their families

we undermine the ability of many to

adequately parent their own children

and so the seeds for generations to

follow

and we apologize for having done this

we now recognize that far too often

these institutions gave rise to abuse or

neglect

and were inadequately controlled and we

apologize

for failing to protect you

not only did you suffer these abuses as

children

but as you became parents you were

powerless to protect your own children

from suffering the same experience

and for this we are sorry

the burden of this experience has been

on your shoulders

for far too long the burden of this

experience

is properly ours as a government and as

a country

there is no place in canada for the

attitudes that inspire the indian

residential school system

to ever prevail again you have been

working on recovering

from this experience for a long time

and in a very real sense we are now

joining you on this journey

the government of canada sincerely

apologizes and asks the forgiveness

of the aboriginal peoples of this

country

for failing them so profoundly

in moving towards healing reconciliation

and resolution

of the sad legacy of indian residential

schools

the implementation of the indian

residential school settlement agreement

began on september 19

2007 years of work by survivors

communities and aboriginal organizations

culminated in an agreement that gives us

a new beginning and an opportunity to

move forward together

in partnership a cornerstone of the

settlement

agreement is the indian residential

schools truth and reconciliation

commission

this commission represents a unique

opportunity to educate all canadians

on the indian residential schools system

it will be a positive step in forging a

new relationship

between aboriginal peoples and other

canadians

a relationship based on the knowledge of

our shared history

their respect for each other and a

desire to move forward with a renewed

understanding

that strong families strong communities

and vibrant cultures and traditions will

contribute

to a stronger canada for all of us god

bless all of you

god bless early

you