Residential School apology by government becoming political event instead of a new start for Aboriginal people
Tensions Mounts Over Apology
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
What was meant to be a highly symbolic gesture to salve the historic wounds of native residential school abuse has become a source of tense frustration.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is to officially apologize Wednesday for decades of trauma and cultural losses inflicted by institutions once geared to "kill the Indian in the child."
But native and opposition critics say haphazard planning and sketchy procedural details expose a Conservative failure to treat a crucial moment in aboriginal relations with the respect required.
Even the time of Harper's statement -- 3 p.m. next Wednesday -- wasn't confirmed until yesterday.
A national spokesman for former students says his group and the Assembly of First Nations have been shut out of final planning as the draft text of the apology is kept under tight wraps.
"I tell you, we're getting a little nervous and concerned when everything is so secretive," said Ted Quewezance, executive director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society.
Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl says about 100 people who once attended the federally funded, church-run schools will have their expenses paid to Ottawa next week. The government is also supporting events in almost every province so that the apology can be watched live on TV.
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Native groups feel shut out of residential-schools apology
BILL CURRY - June 5, 2008
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper will rise in the House of Commons next Wednesday to deliver an apology that former students of Indian residential schools have waited decades to hear.
But Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl acknowledged Thursday that no native leaders will get to see the apology before it's read in the House, and details surrounding the landmark day are being left to the last minute.
Further, many former students from across the country are upset there is no broad program to help them come to Parliament Hill to witness the historic event.
“I'd sure like to go,” said Fran Fletcher-Luther, 73, of Chapleau, Ont., who spent 10 years in residential schools.
She tearfully recalled Thursday how, when she was 15 and dealing with painful appendicitis, medically ignorant school staff fed her laxatives for two weeks until her appendix burst.
Thinking of her many classmates who are now dead, Ms. Fletcher-Luther said it would be a powerful event to witness, but she can't afford the plane ticket.
“It is a historic moment,” she said. “To be there at that time would be a tremendous uplift.”
Several aboriginal groups said Thursday that they have been flooded with requests like Ms. Fletcher-Luther's for assistance to get to Ottawa.
Mr. Strahl explained Thursday that former students are encouraged to gather at local events across the country to watch the apology on television. About 100 aboriginals, primarily board members of school survivor groups, will be flown in at federal expense.
“We're not going to pay for thousands of students to fly to Ottawa,” Mr. Strahl told reporters.
As for the wording itself, Mr. Strahl said he and his staff have been listening to aboriginal groups and reading their submissions, but he has no intention of circulating any drafts beforehand as the Assembly of First Nations would like.
His language in the House of Commons Thursday, however, suggested that Ottawa is ready to use words that it has long avoided – such as describing students as “survivors” of residential schools.
“There have been ongoing consultations. It continued this week with more survivors that the Prime Minister and I met with,” Mr. Strahl said Thursday.
Details regarding a reception or special event for those students who pay their way to Ottawa are still up in the air, he said.
“Some of this stuff will be decided right up to the last minute,” he said, suggesting a big screen may be set up outside Parliament so that people can watch the apology. “We have no idea of how many people are coming. And neither does the Assembly of First Nations. So we're doing our best, and we'll make sure that it's very appropriate.”
Ted Quewezance, executive director of the National Residential School Survivors Society, said Thursday that former students are being left in the dark as to what the apology will say.
“It's pretty secretive. It hasn't been shared with anybody,” he said, 'I tell you, we're getting a little nervous and concerned when everything is so secretive'.
Mr. Quewezance expressed disappointment at being unable to accommodate the requests he has received from elders who want to be in Ottawa next week.
“That's the advice I gave government: to bring in as many survivors as possible,” he said. “What that does for me is it questions [the] sincerity. If they're sincere about it, let's bring as many people out as possible.”
NDP Leader Jack Layton privately appealed to the Prime Minister's Office weeks ago to involve native leaders in the drafting of the apology.
“It's deeply troubling,” he said of the government's decision not to circulate a draft. “They run the risk of that kind of paternalistic attitude of ‘we-know-best and the first nations will just have to accept what we dish out.'”
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'What we don't know is the truth' - Commissioner calls for help from churches
Andrew Thompson, June 06, 2008
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission into Indian residential schools has begun its work with a call to Canada's largest churches for help in healing decades-old wounds.
Commissioner Claudette Dumont-Smith, a nurse, writer, and member of the Kitigan Zibi Algonquin community near Maniwaki, told about 300 Presbyterians yesterday that Canada needed to "fill blank pages and move forward as a nation" through a "truth-sharing process."
Formerly a senior health adviser with the Native Women's Association, Ms. Dumont-Smith made her first public remarks as a commissioner to the Presbyterian Church in Canada's 134th General Assembly at Carleton University.
"We want to hear their views," she said after her speech. "We need people to come forward and give their version of events, their opinions and what we can do to make things better. What we don't know is the truth."
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission officially opened on Monday with a five-year mandate. It resulted from the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement implemented last September between former students, churches, the federal government and aboriginal groups after the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history.
Along with cash payments to individual victims, a planned apology from the government, $100 million in funding toward healing initiatives and $20 million for a commemoration and memorial program, the agreement ordered $60 million in government money for the commission.
The last residential schools, run by churches on behalf of the federal government, were closed in the 1970s. Thousands of aboriginal and Métis children attended the schools, where they were not allowed to speak their languages or practise their culture. Many students reported physical, psychological and sexual abuse while in the schools.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will formally apologize to residential school survivors on Wednesday.
The three-person independent commission plans to host anyone affected, from students and teachers to church officials and community leaders, in a "holistic, culturally appropriate, and safe setting," according to its official mandate. This means Canada will join South Africa, Chile, El Salvador, and Sierra Leone in creating a structured body of truth and reconciliation to discuss past wrongs.
The commission is also collecting documents for a proposed national research centre on residential schools and seeking assistance from the Presbyterian, Anglican, United and Roman Catholic churches.
"Part of the journey is looking backwards and getting the history right, and part is looking forward to the future," said Robert Watts, the commission's interim executive director.
It's "an opportunity to show the world some of the best practices we have in Canada in terms of understanding and reconciling differences."
The Presbyterian Church has agreed to provide documents and take part in commission events. The commission hopes its presence at the General Assembly will carry over to other denominations.
A public confession and apology issued by Presbyterians in 1994 was repeated yesterday, followed by a lengthy prayer for truth and forgiveness.
"We dare to dream of a path of reconciliation where apology from the heart leads to healing of the heart and the chance of restoring the circle, where justice walks with all," the prayer read.
The Presbyterian General Assembly concludes today.
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To all Survivors of Indian Residential School, Chief, Councillors, Provincial/Territorial organization and Tribal Council
A communique from National Chief Phil Fontaine, Assembly of First Nations
June 6, 2008.
We have confirmed that one June 11, 2008 at 3:00 pm EST, the Prime Miniter of Canada will raise in the House of Commons in ottawa to apologize to survivors of Indian Residential Schools.
This will be a momentous occasioan that will represent an important milestone in the healing and reconcilliation process for survivors, our families and our communities.
Events are being planned by the Assembly of First Nations for the evening of June 10th and the day of June 11th, 2008 in Ottawa. A detailed agenda od the events will be made available on out website (www.afn.ca) as soon as all the details have been confirmed.
We are hoping that as many survivors as possible will travel to Ottawa witness this historic event. We ask that you consider sending at least one residential school survivor from your community to come to Ottawa to witness the apology and participate in the related events.
We will be posting an update regarding the official agenda for the apology and participate in the realted events.
We will be posting an update regarding the official agenda for the apology on our website once more detailed information is made available by the federal ggvernment.
For further information, or to advise is of the member(s) oh your delegation, please contact Mihele Price at (613)241-6789, Ext. 202.
Sincerely,
Phile Fontaine, National Chief
Assembly of First Nations, 473 Albert Street, Suite 810, Ottawa, ON K1R 5B4
Tel. (613)241-6789 Toll-Free. 1-866-869-6789 Fax. (613)241-5808
www.afn.ca