How long did residential schools exist

Click here to see a larger version of the map of residential school locations. There were residential schools in N. In , at the peak of the residential school system, there were about 80 schools operating in the country. It only became a IRSSA-recognized school in , which is why earlier accounts describe the last school closing in Many of the children at residential schools were physically, sexually or psychologically abused in a system described by the TRC in its landmark report as cultural genocide.

In , Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons on behalf of the government of Canada over residential schools and the damage they did to Indigenous people. The comprehensive class-action settlement — which involved survivors, the federal government and churches that ran the schools — included the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It also included financial compensation, which took two forms: a common experience payment for all students who attended the schools, and an independent assessment process to adjudicate claims from students who had suffered abuse at the schools.

The Catholic Church operated roughly 70 per cent of Canada's residential schools, including the Kamloops residential school from to before it was taken over by the federal government to serve as a local day school until While other churches, like the Anglican and United churches, have formally apologized for their roles in the residential school system, the Catholic Church has so far refused to do the same.

The closest it came was in , when Pope Benedict XVI expressed "sorrow" for some of the "deplorable" conduct of church members. In , the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said Pope Francis "felt that he could not personally respond" to the request for an apology for residential schools. However, many individual Catholic church leaders in Canada have made apologies, both before and after the discovery in Kamloops.

The Catholic Church has also refused to release many of its residential school documents, which could shed light on unmarked burial sites, citing privacy laws. The TRC released 94 calls to action in its landmark report, including a section on missing children and burial grounds. Officially, the introduction of the Truth and Reconciliation Mandate [1] states:. The truth telling and reconciliation process as part of an overall holistic and comprehensive response to the Indian Residential School legacy is a sincere indication and acknowledgement of the injustices and harms experienced by Aboriginal people and the need for continued healing.

This is a profound commitment to establishing new relationships embedded in mutual recognition and respect that will forge a brighter future. The truth of our common experiences will help set our spirits free and pave the way to reconciliation.

To that end, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has sponsored many events across Canada. Its goal is to prepare a comprehensive historical record, including hearing and documenting the truths of former residential school students, their families and communities. The commission sees the process of truth gathering as an essential part of ongoing reconciliation and healing. It is important to remember that reconciliation is an individual as well as a collective process.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a product of the Canadian government, and some contend that as long as there is ongoing oppression and systematic inequality of Aboriginal people, the reconciliation process cannot be completed. Along this line, it is important to think about how the commission is part of both an ongoing process of healing and an ongoing process of colonialism.

Skip to content 3. Aboriginal Issues in British Columbia. Previous: Modern Treaties and Claims. Next: Summary. Share This Book Share on Twitter. What is going to be provided? That is my question. I know that is the question from all of us. That is what we would like to continue to work on, in partnership. Read the full transcript and watch the video here. The residential schools heavily contributed to educational, social, financial and health disparities between Indigenous Peoples and the rest of Canada, and these impacts have been intergenerational.

It was not until the late s that the Canadian legal system began to respond to allegations of abuse brought forward by Survivors, with fewer than fifty convictions coming out of more than 38, claims of sexual and physical abuse submitted to the independent adjudication process.

Clarke, in which eight former students of St. In , twenty-seven Survivors from the Alberni Indian Residential School filed charges of sexual abuse against Arthur Plint while also holding Canada and the United Church vicariously liable. In addition to convicting Plint, the court held the federal government and the United Church responsible for the wrongs committed. Meanwhile, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples had been interviewing individuals from Indigenous communities and nations across Canada about their experiences.

However, some Indigenous people felt the government apology did not go far enough, since it addressed only the effects of physical and sexual abuse and not other damages caused by the residential school system. The St.

George and Alberni lawsuits set a precedent for future cases, proving that the churches and the government of Canada could be sued as an entity. As the number of cases grew, a National Class Action was filed in for compensation for all former Indian Residential school Survivors and family members in Canada. In , Canada and nearly 80, Survivors reached the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement in which Canada committed to individual compensation for Survivors, additional funding for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, and the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In September , while the Settlement Agreement was being put into action, the Canadian government made a motion to issue a formal apology. The motion passed unanimously. The apology was broadcast live across Canada watch it here. Echoing Stephen Harper, former Chief Justice of Ontario Warren Winkler also observed that the residential school system removed children. Although apologies and acknowledgements made by governments and churches are important steps forward in reconciliation, Indigenous leaders have argued that such gestures are not enough without supportive action.

Communities and residential school survivor societies are undertaking healing initiatives and providing opportunities for survivors to talk about their experiences and move forward to create a positive future for themselves, their families, and their communities. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society was formed in by the First Nations Summit in British Columbia and was officially incorporated in to provide support for survivors and communities in the province throughout the healing process and to educate the broader public.

The Survivors Society provides crisis counselling, referrals, and healing initiatives, as well as acting as a resource for information, research, training, and workshops. It was clear that a similar organization was needed at the national level, and in , the National Residential School Survivors Society was incorporated.

Royal Commission on Indigenous Peoples. Erasmus, George. Fournier, Suzanne and Ernie Crey. Haig-Brown, Celia. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, First published by Tillicum Library, Public Inquiry into the Administration and Indigenous People.

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Roberts, John. Toronto: Emond Montgomery, University of Manitoba Press, Xvii, 91—2. The Justice System and Aboriginal People. MLA: Hanson, Eric, et al. Chicago: Hanson, Eric, Daniel P. Games, and Alexa Manuel. Indigenous Foundations. APA: Hanson, E.