Canadian Indian residential school system: Difference between revisions
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{{Act of Villainy|name=Canadian Indian residential school system|Image=CRS.jpg|perpetrator=Canadian government|date=1876-1997|location=Canada|motive=To assimilate First Nations and | {{Act of Villainy|name=Canadian Indian residential school system|Image=CRS.jpg|perpetrator=Canadian government|date=1876-1997|location=Canada|motive=To assimilate First Nations, Inuit and Métis children into white culture.|crimes=Cultural [[genocide]]<br>Forced assimilation<br>Mass [[murder]]<br>Child abuse<br>[[Rape]]<br>[[Torture]]<br>[[Kidnapping]]<br>Unethical experimentation}}{{Quote|Underlying these arguments was the belief that the colonizers were bringing civilization to savage people who could never civilize themselves, a belief of racial and cultural superiority.|Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada}} | ||
{{Important}}The '''Canadian Indian residential school system''' was a network of boarding schools in Canada. The schools were made to forcibly assimilate indigenous children into white culture. The system has been described as an act of cultural [[genocide]], as the system was designed to purposefully eradicate indigenous cultures, though some consider it physical genocide as well, as the residential schools lead to the deaths of at least 30,000 children. It is estimated that a total of 150,000 children were forced to attend the school system. The residential schools operated in all provinces and territories in Canada, with the exceptions of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland & Labrador. | {{Important}}The '''Canadian Indian residential school system''' was a network of boarding schools in Canada. The schools were made to forcibly assimilate indigenous children into white culture. The system has been described as an act of cultural [[genocide]], as the system was designed to purposefully eradicate indigenous cultures, though some consider it physical genocide as well, as the residential schools lead to the deaths of at least 30,000 children. It is estimated that a total of 150,000 children were forced to attend the school system. The residential schools operated in all provinces and territories in Canada, with the exceptions of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland & Labrador. | ||
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The children were deprived of their cultures and were forced to speak English or French, while facing corporal punishment for speaking their native languages as well as being molested and sometimes killed by priests, often times having their newborn children being killed after being impregnated by their teachers. The children also faced malnutrition and died of diseases such as tuberculosis often as a result of unethical experiments projected onto them, while others committed suicide and died while trying to run away. | The children were deprived of their cultures and were forced to speak English or French, while facing corporal punishment for speaking their native languages as well as being molested and sometimes killed by priests, often times having their newborn children being killed after being impregnated by their teachers. The children also faced malnutrition and died of diseases such as tuberculosis often as a result of unethical experiments projected onto them, while others committed suicide and died while trying to run away. | ||
In 1907, chief medical officer Peter Bryce visited 35 of the schools and found that many students have died and noticed that the schools were poorly constructed with minimal care from the staff. Bryce tried to address the problems of the | In 1907, Indian Affairs chief medical officer Peter Bryce visited 35 of the schools and found that many students have died and noticed that the schools were poorly constructed with minimal care from the staff. Bryce tried to address the problems of the residential schools to the government in an attempt to reform the system, but his advice was ignored. | ||
Starting in the late 1950's, an adoption policy known as the Sixties Scoop was enacted as a means of transporting indigenous children to white families, with Saskatchewan being the only province to implement a program solely for Métis children. This act continued up until the early 1980's. | |||
There were some instances of indigenous people protesting against the residential school system, with at least 25 schools being set on fire by the students. Though most of the protests were ignored, some protests were brought to light when the federal government began to notice the ineffective failures of the system. In 1969, the schools were transferred to the Department of Indian Affairs. Over the years, more schools began to close, while others were transferred to the tribes. In 1997, the last residential school was closed in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. | There were some instances of indigenous people protesting against the residential school system, with at least 25 schools being set on fire by the students. Though most of the protests were ignored, some protests were brought to light when the federal government began to notice the ineffective failures of the system. In 1969, the schools were transferred to the Department of Indian Affairs. Over the years, more schools began to close, while others were transferred to the tribes. In 1997, the last residential school was closed in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. | ||