Transcript Indian Residential Schools One Woman’s Story

Indian Residential Schools
Part 1 - The Report
Presented by Gail Smith
The History
Pre-residential Schools
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Early 19th century – Mission Schools
Goals:
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Teach native people to read English so they
could read the bible
Convert natives to Christianity
Catholic, Anglican, United and
Presbyterian Churches involved
Indian Act – government’s responsibility to
educate native children – Treaty Rights
Churches’ and Governmental
Assumptions
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Aboriginal culture were unable to adapt to
modern Canadian society
Without intervention, native people would
be left behind
Children were easier to mould than adults
Children must be removed from
family/cultural influence
Residential schools far from homes were
the answer
Governance
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1890 -1950’s – Parents had no choice but to
send children to a residential school.
Many parents wanted this schooling as they
thought it best for their children’s future.
All Aboriginal people – wards of the state.
“Indian Agents” (white men) – employed by
Dept. of Indian Affairs recruited students and
ensured native students went to school.
Where did they go?
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To Residential Schools
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Here are a few of them.
Gordon Anglican Residential School
Curriculum
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Children aged 5 – 16 to attend
School day:
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Half time classroom study
Half time learning a trade
Girls – sewing, cooking and domestic skills
Boys – blacksmithing, carpentry, and auto
mechanics
Added duties: milk cows, clean dorms, chop
wood (provide labour to run schools cheaper)
Canadian Indian Residential
Schools Statistics
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Total Indian Residential Schools – 135
None in NB, PE or NL
AB – 29
BC – 28 SK – 20
ON – 18
MB – 17 NT – 8
QC – 6
YT – 6
NU – 2 NS – 1
Department of Indian Affairs funded all
residential schools.
Assimilation Plan
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Goal: To prepare Native children for white
society
Began consideration in 1928
Geared to end the “Indian Problem”
Guesstimated time for success was two
generations
Church run
Government funded
Results of Residential Schools
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Children were removed from their homes
Forced assimilation of white societal
cultures, values, religion and languages
Some children subjected to physical,
emotional and sexual abuse
Devastation of families and cultures
Aboriginal Reaction
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Decades later, Aboriginal people begin to
share their stories
Accuse government of systematic racism
Demand governmental acknowledgement
Want compensation for lost childhoods
and abuse
Abuse also affects the next generation
A Move towards Healing
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1990 – Phil Fontaine, Grand Chief of
Manitoba Chiefs, first leader to tell the
story of his abuse at a residential School
Calls for recognition of the abuse,
compensation and an apology for racism
1991 – Lawsuits are launched, groups are
formed
1996 – Royal Commission on Aboriginal
Peoples recommends public inquiry
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1997 – Phil Fontaine negotiates out of
court settlement with federal government
1998 – Statement of Reconciliation Settlement of $350 Million Healing Fund –
Gov’t admits wrongdoing and apologizes
2001 – Dept. of Indian Residential Schools
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Resolution Canada formed
2003 – Alternative Dispute Resolutions
(ADR) process formed
2004 – U of A Law School and Assembly
of First Nations (AFN) find ADR process
flawed
2008 – Apology from Stephen Harper
Mission Statement
Assembly of First Nations
To address the expedient resolution of the
residential schools claims filed in court by
the survivors with the emphasis on the
elderly and sick and to ensure an effective
process is identified and carried out for
healing strategies in relation to the loss of
languages and culture of First Nation
people and their communities.
http://www.afn.ca/residentialschools/index.html
Report on Canada’s Dispute Resolution Plan
to Compensate for Abuses in
Indian Residential Schools
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Lump sum – all survivors $10,000
$3,000 for every year attended
Early payment for elderly
Truth Commission
Healing Fund
Commemoration Fund
Individual settlement of abuse claims
Summary of School Statistics
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An estimated 80,000 people alive today
attended Indian Residential Schools
Over 150,000 children attended Indian
Residential Schools
Timeline: How it Happened?
Assembly of First Nations - http://www.afn.ca/residentialschools/history.html
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1857 – Gradual Assimilation Act passed to
assimilate Indians.
1870 – 1910 – Period of assimilation by
government and missionaries to assimilate
Aboriginal children into the lower fringes of
mainstream society.
1920 – Compulsory attendance for all children
ages 7 – 15. Children forcibly taken from
families by priests, Indian agents and police
officers.
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1931 – 80 residential schools in Canada.
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1948 – 72 residential schools with 9,368.
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1979 – 12 residential schools with 1,899
students.
1980s – Students disclose forms of abuse.
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1996 – Last residential school in Canada
(Gordon Reserve in SK) closes
1998 Assembly of First Nations (AFN)
establishes the Indian Residential Schools
Resolution Unit
2009 – Less than half of the settlements
completed
Indian Residential Schools
Resolution Unit includes:
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Independent Assessment Process –
students who suffered serious abuses that
caused serious psychological effects
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Commemoration initiative
Aboriginal Healing Foundation - other health
support programs.
Discussion Questions
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Why is this a historically significant event?
Who did it affect?
How many people did it affect?
What view did the church take?
What was the result?
Was an apology necessary?
File Hills Residential School
SK-7 File Hills Indian Residential School
(File Hills Colony School) (MD)
Okanese Reserve; opened 1889; closed 1949
A Letter of Remembering - Home
Resource Websites
Assembly of First Nations www.afn.ca/residentialschools/index.html
www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=2586
 Turtle Island - turtleisland.org/resources
 The Anglican Church www2.anglican.ca/rs/history/schools/old-sun.htm
 The United Church - www.unitedchurch.ca/aboriginal/schools/faq/history
 Where are the Children?
www.wherearethechildren.ca/en/remembering2.html
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Inquiry Questions
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What effects did the loss of languages and
culture of First Nation people and their
communities have as a result of living in
Indian Residential Schools?
What is being done to facilitate healing for
former residents?
What did we learn from this?