I watched it live on the Internet, including the speeches which
followed. Had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes most of the way
through.

It's about damn time this happened. I don't like Harper, but good on
him for getting this done.

I'll be waiting to see meaningful action follow; otherwise, the
apology is just word play.

Ocean

WISE Book - Policies of Exclusion, Poverty & Health: Stories from the front
Podcast Channel: http://bcseawalker.podbean.com/
Personal Blog: Challenging the Commonplace - and other irreverent activities
http://challengingthecommonplace.blogspot.com/


On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 2:19 PM, Dot Bonnenfant <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hello all
> I listened to this event via radio.
> profound for me to listen... profound for First Nations, Inuit and Metis to
> receive and to participate.
>
> Dot
>
> Miranda Dyck wrote:
>>
>> Please take a moment to bear witness to this historic event:
>>
>> *At 3pm today, Prime Minister Harper will stand in the House of Commons
>> and offer a national apology on behalf of all Canadians to residential
>> school survivors.*
>>
>> Jack Layton sums it up quite well:
>>
>> "A people, through the conscious policies of our government right here in
>> this House of Commons, was faced with virtual elimination as a people,
>> through the policies of the residential schools which were designed to, as
>> they said, kill the Indian in the child." [Ottawa Citizen]
>>
>> / /
>>
>> Not all First Nations, Inuit and Métis experienced residential schools, or
>> are experiencing the process of reconciliation in the same way. Not all are
>> even including in the settlement process. Hundreds of Inuit and thousands of
>> Métis are excluded from the residential settlement process because some
>> schools have been left off the eligibility list. This means that any of the
>> former students are not eligible for compensation, or the closure that may
>> accompany such acknowledgement.
>>
>> For Métis, the experience of residential schools was actually quite
>> unique. Federal government policy changed to abolish Métis rights, so they
>> were no longer considered "Indian" and, therefore, no longer under the care
>> of the federal government. This meant there was no government funding for
>> Métis to attend residential schools. In many cases, churches organized
>> separate residential schools for Métis. Métis were judged upon whether they
>> were "uncivilized" or "Indian" enough to warrant attending residential
>> school.
>>
>> Often even the abuse suffered by Métis in residential schools was
>> different than that of other children. The abuse was culture-specific and
>> the children were abused in a way that made them feel /less/ than "white"
>> children and /less/ than "Indian" children.
>>
>> Source: Chartrand, L, Logan, T., Daniels, J. (2006). /Metis History and
>> Experience and Residential Schools in Canada./ The Aboriginal Healing
>> Foundation Research Series.
>>
>> Miranda Dyck
>> Research Officer
>> Métis Centre
>> National Aboriginal Health Organization
>> 220 Laurier Ave West, Suite 1200
>> Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5Z9
>> Tel: 613-237-9462 ext. 518
>> Fax: 613-237-8707
>>

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