What's the Truth and Reconciliation Commission you say? Well, it is a commission that was to discover the facts about the sad education system our government ran for aboriginal people
More than 100 years ago an education system was established for first nations people. The government gave a pittance for funding and farmed the work out to churches. The system took aboriginal kids away from their families and put them in residences. The goal of this system was to take their language and culture away from the kids so that they would become good little white kids! They took much more than that away from the first nations people. Kids did not grow up in a family and as a result did not get the family experience and became ostracised from their relatives. There were many very cruel teachers and residential supervisors who destroyed these kids forever. Physical and sexual abuse was common.
So the TRC was set up to find out as much information as possible and then hopefully set about trying to right the wrongs of the system. Thousands of people told their stories.
I was a teacher who spent five years teaching Inuit and first nation's children. For three years a very large residential facility was with the school. The churches ran the residences and the government ran the school.
I went north as a young teacher looking for adventure and bigger money. I was given in service about what I was supposed to do. Yes , we were to teach English. Yes, we were to discourage kids from speaking their own language. Yes , we were to encourage kids to join another culture and leave theirs behind. I did what I was told and didn't question the administration.
It wasn't until years later when I was talking to a pilot who picked the kids up in their settlements and brought them into the residence that I realized the horrors that took place. He told about kids being taken from their parents and how awful it was for both.
Now the teaching experience was excellent and my contact with aboriginal people changed my life forever.
One year I taught in a temporary classroom between the school and residence. Many days when I left the classroom the little boys were playing around my portable. I received cheerful greetings that I will never forget. They always called me Mr McKline. I observed their play. They would play dog team. I'm sure I had as much fun watching them as they had playing. Sometimes I went to the residence. Several times I went in the dormitories after the kids were in bed. I'll never forget the sight 40 little boys in one room on cots. There was some light left on for the supervisors. Most kids were asleep but there was always somebody who was awake. There was much moaning and groaning.
I've thought many times of how these six year old boys were a thousand miles away from home and how horrible it was for them, their parents and their community.
Now back to the TRC. Our government almost completely ignored the report. The next step is to right the wrong. It won't happen unless the government participates.
I'm one of the pessimistic people on this topic. I think the government will throw some beads and trinkets at the situation and leave it to continue causing damage and heartache to the aboriginal people of Canada.
I hope you are wrong but I suspect you are right.
ReplyDeleteWe all hope for some progress on this.
DeleteI have a lot of Canadian friends but this is the first time I have heard about the this Commission.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid it's not on everyone's radar screen.
DeleteKeith, your experiences show us so much. You don't question the government, until you have more information, in the cold, clear light of day.
ReplyDeleteThere has to be something done, by the government. I don't know why Harper is the way he is. There are so many land claims his government ignores. Our taxes have gone to lawyers, instead of to the people whose land we stole from them.
Now don't get me going on land claims. I'm also angry that so much tampering was done to the reserves over the years. much land was taken away from the reserves.
DeleteI saw an article about this a while ago and read it with sadness. I cannot believe they are not going to have to deal with the ramifications of all that abuse, Red. I sure hope so, but who can ease the pain and suffering of it all. Keep me posted on what transpires from the report. :-(
ReplyDeleteIndividual pain suffering and loss have happened. We are building on future generations who will be much healthier.
DeleteSad how this was allowed
ReplyDeleteAgain, the politicians were the evil doers here.
DeleteI have come to the conclusion after years of watching this prime minister that fundamentally, he is a sociopath, completely devoid of empathy or any human feeling. The way he responded to the TRC is hardly surprising, and one of the many, many reasons he must be removed from power in October.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your assessment of Harper. This last year he has taken much of our freedom away.
DeleteThose poor boys...I cannot imagine. Of course nothing will be done but maybe learn from past mistakes. I am sure you were a good friend and teacher to the boys:)
ReplyDeleteThe learning from past mistakes has been done but there are actions left to be taken.
Deletei don't think there's any way to repay those wrongs. we 'civilized' people can do so much harm.
ReplyDeleteThe hurt on individuals has been done and there's not a lot to be done .Treatment of the indigenous population has to be changed.
DeleteHow interesting that you taught in the residential schools. I would imagine it was a life-changing experience for a young teacher. It seems the native people of every country have been mistreated and, in spite of apologies and reparations, they continue to suffer. I hope Canada can do a better job.
ReplyDeleteYou're right that indigenous populations were ill treated. You can go back in history and trace problems to now. Ireland's history was one that shocked me.
DeleteI had no idea this went on in Canada. Here in Australia removal of Aboriginal children from their families was also widespread for decades and had devastating results for so many kids and their families. It was a long terrible battle to get our Federal Government to accept responsibility, even retroactively, because conservative politicians insisted they had had no part in those old wrongs. But finally a new Prime Minister in a left-leaning Labor Government made it his first business to offer a public apology in Parliament to members of what we call 'the Stolen Generation'. It didn't make up for all the damage that had been done, but it was a very moving experience for everyone who witnessed it. If you'd like to read anything about this, see http://www.news.com.au/national/pm-moves-to-heal-the-nation/story-e6frfkw9-1111115539560.
ReplyDeleteWe've done the enquiry ,but I don't think much more will happen.
DeleteVery true post - however, Harper must have some big money tied up in election, or all poling stations are crooked as hell, because he keeps getting back in. This "I must come your way and visit and make false promises is just getting too sick", same as the promises made to the Natives. Our laws are too lax, you rape and plunder......you hang.....also Harper and his gang should pay for their "robbing of the people"......come on, its a BIG JOKE on how long Mike Duffy's trial will last. Just another on that will be rewarded by the PM, regardless of the outcome....somebody always takes the fall. Sorry, seem to have got sidetracked - look how well Harper has stood on missing Native Women?? Harper's entire life is available on the internet. If more people read about his earlier years, they would shudder that this ????Man???? is the PM. Aaaarrrgghhh!
ReplyDeleteYou sorta got off on a rant . I hear ya. It's amazing the stuff this lunatic gets away with.I think many of these issues will jump up and bite him in the ass.
DeleteOh very sad. what is happening. Oh that Harper. He is a Joke.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how all the CPC are all such losers. You'd think politicians have some leadership skills and would argue with Harper's lunacy.
DeleteHorrible, horrible things that have been done. I can't imagine the pain these people went through.
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more I realize how evil this system was.
DeleteDisturbing read. Canadians deserve better than this Harper fellow, although I don't feel comfortable speculating on another country's politics when the politics of my own country are so screwed up.
ReplyDeleteIf you have the knowledge you are able to make accurate comments. Your comments have to be made so that harper sees how others see him.
DeleteStopping by today to say Happy Father's Day Red:)
ReplyDeleteHi Red, What a report! My goodness, you do have some very interesting experiences from your teaching days. Well, one thing is for sure ... Canada is not the only country to treat the native people poorly. USA has done a sad job with our Native Americans. I join you in hoping that our governments will do better on these issues in the future. Thanks for giving us this story.
ReplyDeleteRed I was at a meeting last night with one of our local United Churches, since the Truth and Reconciliation was here in our city the truth has been shared and now it's time for reconciliation. The church wants to do something in a culturally respectful manner to help and/or honor the injustices which were inflicted upon Indigenous children and do whatever possible to help where help is needed. I believe the government has to help in within the healing journey for those who have suffered far too long and historical and inter-generational traumas must be addressed by those who understand it, this infuriates me in the sense that throughout my formal educational journey we were not taught how to work in a culturally respectful manner with our Indigenous peoples, nor were we taught much at all about the immense injustices. Without being so passionate about this area and me doing my own research and focusing in the area I would not have learned much of anything and I would have bought into the Euro-Western ways of "helping", thankfully I now know different.
ReplyDeleteI hope Harper is out, done and finished, he's not only ignorant he caters to the elite of Canada... you know the ones who support him and his wrongdoings. It is time for healing without a doubt and it's so awesome to see and be invited to inquiries such as I was last night. We don't NEED the government to start the healing journey, but it sure would be awesome to have the funding to implement whatever is needed to go on this journey.
And on that note I'll just stop there, I do believe you know my passion for Indigenous social injustices... so yes, I'll just stop here. And hats off to this particular United Church for going over and above to offer to help and to do so in a culturally respectful way. As long as Harper is in government the cycle of assimilation will continue, naturally it's not as blatantly obvious as it was in the residential school era but it's still here, as is the marginalization, discrimination and stereotyping.
Thank you for sharing this and bringing attention to the injustices the Canadian government has inflicted upon our Indigenous peoples, and continues to.
I've heard about the horrible things that were done to aboriginal people and their children in Australia and the U.S. How could they justify such cruelty?
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