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<br>Christian churches|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}}
{{Act of Villainy|name=Canadian Indian residential school system|Image=CRS.jpg|perpetrator=Canadian government<br>Christian churches|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}}
{{Mature}}{{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 and New Brunswick.
{{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 and New Brunswick.
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The schools were intentionally located far off reserves in order to limit contact between the children and their parents. The schools were administered by Christian churches, with most of them being funded by the federal government.  
The schools were intentionally located far off reserves in order to limit contact between the children and their parents. The schools were administered by Christian churches, with most of them being funded by the federal government.  


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. Some survivors report teachers shoving needles in their toenails, impaling hot knives in their tongues, bleaching them in baths to lighten their skin, forcing them to wash dishes in boiling water, and starving them in isolation while feeding them salt water.


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.
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.
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* Makkovik Boarding School (Unknown - 1960): Makkovik, Labrador
* Makkovik Boarding School (Unknown - 1960): Makkovik, Labrador
* Nain Boarding School (Unknown - 1973): Nain, Labrador
* Nain Boarding School (Unknown - 1973): Nain, Labrador
* St. Anthony's Orphanage (Unknown - 1979): St. Anthony, Labrador
* St. Anthony's Orphanage (Unknown - 1979): St. Anthony, Newfoundland
* Yale School (Unknown - 1980): North West River, Labrador
* Yale School (Unknown - 1980): North West River, Labrador