Canada’s history is characterized by notable occurrences, such as the Battle of Vimy Ridge and Canada’s peacekeeping contributions, alongside various tragic incidents. Among these tragedies was the Indian Act in 1876, which led to the creation of Indian residential schools. These schools possess great historical importance in Canada, especially for First Nation individuals who were forced to attend them. The enduring effects of these institutions emphasize the importance of comprehending their beginnings and the repercussions they had on those impacted.
The Canadian residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Aboriginal peoples of Canada that were funded by the Department of Indian Affairs and operated by Christian churches, specifically the Catholic Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada (“Canadian residential school system,”1). Its primary aim was to assimilate Aboriginal individuals into Canadian society. Between the mid-1800s and early 1970s, students attended these schools, with approximately 10,000 enrolled across 60 different locations by the late 1960s. However, attendance required separation from their families. Even if they lived nearby, students were not permitted to reside off-campus due to concerns about negative influences from parents and community members. The goal was for students to acquire civilization within a Christian environment as desired by the school.
The residential school system in Canada was consistently under-funded and often poorly managed, leading to badly constructed buildings and insufficient food for the students. The overcrowded living conditions resulted in numerous diseases and deaths among the students. Additionally, the government and the public ignored their plight. The schools were plagued by constant physical, emotional, and sexual abuse until they were finally abandoned in the 1980s. The last residential school outside Regina closed in 1996. (“Some Key Facts about Canada’s Residential School History,” 2000)
The First Nation people have endured various conditions, including suspicion, authority, and abuse for an extended period. One of the significant changes in Canada’s history was brought about by the residential schools, which greatly impacted the lives of its Aboriginal population. The past experiences of Aboriginal people have even been depicted in films like “The Black Robe” directed by Bruce Beresford in 1991, which focused on providing insights into the culture of a Huron village in Quebec. Additionally, numerous books have been written about the Aboriginal people, with many renowned articles publicly available that extensively cover the topic of residential schools.
Furthermore, many of the narrators who share their experiences are students who resided in residential schools. Consequently, their opinions are based on firsthand encounters, making them highly emotional and descriptive. One of the individuals belonging to the First Nation community, Pauline Dempsey, openly expresses her sentiment towards the residential school. She highlights three particular aspects that she strongly dislikes and finds abhorrent about these institutions. These are as follows: 1) The separation from their parents, who were denied the natural process of being parents. 2) The punishment faced for speaking their native language, which is a God-given gift. And 3) The loss of personal identity, as they were all expected to conform and were not provided with the opportunity to excel as unique individuals.
Pauline Dempsey was placed in a residential school at the age of eight, despite living only two miles away from her parents. Although she was able to visit her parents during the summer holidays in July and August, returning to the strict institutional life at the school proved difficult for her. The school imposed rigid discipline, including adhering to specific times indicated by the bell for activities such as waking up, attending chapel, eating, going to class, playing, and going to bed. Students were also assigned chores, such as cleaning the school and setting tables properly with damask tablecloths when the principal visited. Failure to follow the rules resulted in brutal punishment, some of which even led to fatalities. The large number of students in residential schools also resulted in numerous health issues. (2011, 2)
An article from Beverley Jacobs, a member of the National President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, provides another example of life in residential schools. Jacobs, representing one of Canada’s National Aboriginal Organizations, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his Statement of Apology while also demanding respect. She acknowledged that previous governments had failed to apologize for the wrongs committed, making the Prime Minister’s actions commendable. Jacobs shared her family’s painful history, revealing that her Mohawk grandmother had experienced sexual and physical abuse at a residential school, preventing the transmission of cultural traditions. However, Jacobs considers herself fortunate to have grown up in a community where knowledge and ceremonies were preserved by all mothers. She emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about human rights violations against Aboriginal children, particularly Aboriginal women, and highlights how Canada’s policies are responsible for issues like poverty, alcoholism, drug addiction, and violence.
The violations had affected her language, culture, and spirituality, and it shouldn’t have taken until 2008 for most Canadians to learn about the residential school system. I have one final message for the leaders of the Liberals, the Bloc, and NDP – thank you for your words, but now it’s about our present responsibilities. Words must translate into action because the decisions we make today will shape seven future generations, just as my ancestors did seven generations ago. Despite their efforts to resist, they were aware of what was happening and what was to come under colonization’s significant impact that we still face today. Women have borne the brunt of these effects. However, it must go beyond the happenings in residential schools – for women, truth-telling must persist. It was at a time when survivors of residential schools were beginning to share their stories and reveal the various forms of abuse they endured (2008, 223).
Government authorities ultimately acknowledged the failure of the grand experiment and expressed support for Aboriginal Canadians having local control over their education. Journalist Morse Bradford W. described the residential school system as both a tragic failure and a potential national crime (12.1). In 1998, the federal government apologized and established a $350-million fund to provide traditional healing circles and counseling for victims. Additionally, a B.C. Supreme Court judge became the first in Canada to award financial compensation to a victim of residential school abuse, ordering the Anglican national church and Ottawa to pay $200,000 to an individual who suffered sexual abuse by a dormitory worker. The government’s provision of significant funds shows their effort to take responsibility for all uncompensated damage caused by residential schools.
In summary, the residential school system in Canada is deemed flawed based on various examples. The system has caused numerous adverse consequences for the country without any compensation. Therefore, it is fortunate that the schools have been eradicated from Canada. Now, all Aboriginal individuals can enjoy their rightful privileges without having to abandon their traditions for European customs. This serves as a valuable lesson for the government to thoroughly evaluate educational initiatives before undertaking them.
Work Cited
The sources used for this text are:
– “Canadian residential school system,” Wikipedia: 1-2.2013. Print.
– Dempsey, Pauline. “My Life in an Indian Residential School.” Alberta History 59.2 (2011): 22. Print.
– “Former Ontario Residential-School Students Allege Attempted Genocide: Final Edition.” Whitehorse Star: 9. 2000. Print.
– Jacobs, Beverley. “Response to Canada’s Apology to Residential School Survivors.” Canadian Woman Studies 26.3-4 (2008): 223. Print.
– Morse, Bradford W. “Government Responses to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement in Canada: Implications for Australia.” Australian Indigenous Law Review 12.1 (2008): 41-59. Print.
– “Some Key Facts about Canada’s Residential School History.” Canadian Press NewsWire 2000. Print.
