Canadian Indian residential school system: Difference between revisions
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== History == | == History == | ||
In 1828, the first boarding school, known as the Mohawk Institute, was established in Brantford, Ontario for six indigenous students. In 1876, prime minister Alexander MacKenzie passed the Indian Act, a policy that was | In 1828, the first boarding school, known as the Mohawk Institute, was established in Brantford, Ontario for six indigenous students. In 1876, prime minister Alexander MacKenzie passed the Indian Act, a policy that was established to force First Nations people onto reserves. The Canadian government under prime minister [[John A. Macdonald]] later implemented a system of residential schools as part of an assimilation policy for indigenous peoples, which was influenced by U.S. Army general [[Richard Henry Pratt]]'s ideologies to "kill the Indian and save the man". | ||
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 [[Indian reserves|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. 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. For the most part, school authorities got away with their crimes, although there were some rare instances where school administrators were arrested for their abuse towards children, such as the cases with [[William Starr]] and [[Arthur Plint]]. | 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 to keep them bloated. For the most part, school authorities got away with their crimes, although there were some rare instances where school administrators were arrested for their abuse towards children, such as the cases with [[William Starr]] and [[Arthur Plint]]. | ||
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 the 1940's, the federal government proposed to abolish the residential schools, but despite their obligations, they instead made extremely petty reforms of the system. In 1969, church administration over the schools was abolished and the schools were handed over to the Department of Indian Affairs. | 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 the 1940's, the federal government proposed to abolish the residential schools, but despite their obligations, they instead made extremely petty reforms of the system. In 1969, church administration over the schools was abolished and the schools were handed over to the Department of Indian Affairs. | ||
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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. | 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 | 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. 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. | ||
In 2008, prime minister Stephen Harper apologized for the residential school system and established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the nature of the schools under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. In 2015, the TRC concluded that the assimilation policy towards indigenous children amounted to cultural genocide. | In 2008, prime minister Stephen Harper apologized for the residential school system and established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the nature of the schools under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. In 2015, the TRC concluded that the assimilation policy towards indigenous children amounted to cultural genocide. | ||
As of 2021, thousands of unmarked graves are being uncovered near residential schools. So far, nearly 2,000 graves have been found near former residential schools | As of 2021, thousands of unmarked graves are being uncovered near residential schools. So far, nearly 2,000 graves have been found near former residential schools in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories, with more investigations taking place in Ontario and Quebec. | ||
== List of residential schools == | == List of residential schools == | ||
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*'''Frobisher Bay Indian Residential School''' (1965 - Unknown): Frobisher Bay, Nunavut | *'''Frobisher Bay Indian Residential School''' (1965 - Unknown): Frobisher Bay, Nunavut | ||
*'''Kivalliq Hall''' (1985 - 1997): Rankin Inlet, Nunavut | *'''Kivalliq Hall''' (1985 - 1997): Rankin Inlet, Nunavut | ||
== Trivia == | |||
* Although Stephen Harper apologized for the residential school system, he refused to apologize for the residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador, as the province did not become a part of Canada until 1949 and none of the schools were federally funded. | |||
* The Shubenacadie residential school in Nova Scotia is the only school where no gravesites had been found so far. | |||
[[Category:Villainous Event]] | [[Category:Villainous Event]] | ||