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This week Pope Francis I gave what some called a heart felt apology to the the Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit people of Canada for the atrocities of the more than 100 years of the residential school systems of Canada. It was long over due. I am not sure that everyone understands what these children endured in the name of religion and a policy of assimilation.
Assimilation is, in my opinion, a form of cultural genocide. How dare anyone of any religion make efforts to eradicate another's faith, culture and language.
"The content of faith cannot be transmitted in a way contrary to the faith itself."
These are the words of Pope Francis I. It is exactly what the Canadian Government and various religions tried to accomplish. If the cultures have not been erased, considerable damage was done.
Residential school operated from 1870's to the 1990's in Canada, except the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. The last residential school was closed in 1996, in Saskatchewan. This is only 2 years before my son was born. I was born in 1970. If I would have been part of an Indigenous community, I probably would have been forced to attend such an institution. This is a very sobering thought.
It is estimated that at least 150 000 children were stolen from their homes, families and villages for their own "education and welfare." This happened after those very same communities were forced off their ancestral lands by the policy of colonization. It boggles my mind how anyone could honestly think that this would be beneficial to the various peoples indigenous to what is now Canada.
In fact, these communities were considered "a problem."
'...if anything is to be done with the Indian, we must catch him young. The children must be kept constantly within the circle of civilized conditions." Nicholas Flood Davin. Report on Industrial School for Indians and Half Breeds. 1879.
"I want to get rid of the Indian problem...Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed in the body of politic and there is no Indian question and no Indian Department." Hon. Duncan Campbell. Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs. 1920.
In 1920, it became mandatory for any Indigenous child of the ages of 7 to 16 years old to attend residential schools and in 1933 legal guardianship of these children were assumed by the principals of the school after being forcibly surrendered by their parents.
The religions that operated the residential schools include Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Menonites and others. The Catholic Church operated 70% of the schools funded by the Canadian Government. There were also schools operated without this funding. I was unable to find any records or reports on these schools. This being said, it would not surprise me if their practices were any different than those with the official approval and financial support of the federal, and provincial governments.
In my research, I could not find any record of a positive experience by any student. In fact, what I discovered was worse than I could have imagined. Students were forbidden to speak their language, being allowed to communicate in English or French only. Punishment for a transgression could include a needle through the tongue. Among other rules were that students had to convert to whatever religious beliefs of the school and wear "appropriate uniforms." Children were separated by gender and siblings were separated.
There was a lack of a nutritional diet and often not enough food or only spoiled food. If a child became sick as a result, they were made to eat their own vomit. There was widespread physical, emotional and psychological abuse. This could include beatings, with fists, leather straps or other tools. Some of these beatings could result in the student falling into unconsciousness. At St. Anne's School in Fort Albany, Ontario there was an electric chair. Sexual abuse was widespread and systematic. If a pregnancy resulted, abortions were performed.
In 1992 a 7 year investigation into the abuses at St. Anne's by the OPP, headed by Constable Greg Delguidice was done after the survivors approached the authorities. It consisted of thousands of reported abuses by both religious and lay staff and teachers. After the 2008 official apology by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Stephen Harper an agreement was made that in exchange for not suing the government, residential school survivors would be "properly compensated" according to a Truth and Reconciliation Agreement. To add insult to injury, many of the claims were denied for lack of a evidence and it was deemed that there was no sexual abuse at all. The Federal government claimed that they were not in possession of the results of the OPP 1992 Investigation. A claimed denied by the Constable who conducted the investigation.
I have chosen not to go into to many of the details of the reported abuse as it was graphic and more than upsetting. They can been found by visiting the websites listed below.
The next time you hear someone complain about continued payments to the Indigenous peoples of Canada, remind them of these facts. How many parents would sue their Municipal government if their child broke their arm at a public park and expect compensation. If this is the case, to what are survivors and families of Residential Schools entitled, after over a 100 years of systematic abuse.
Sources:
bbc.com
anishinabek.ca
cbc.ca/fifthestate S44 E12
