An apology 150 years in the making has finally been delivered to the First Nations of Canada for the treatment of innocent children at residential schools across the land. Like many affected across the country, some local people chose to gather together to share the momentous day. About 50 Sechelt Indian Band (SIB) elders, other Band members and Sunshine Coast residents listened to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's live televised apology at the Band hall on Wednesday, June 11.
In an event that marked an unusual agreement among all parties, Harper set the tone when, at the beginning of his remarks, he thanked NDP leader Jack Layton for his passion over a year and a half to help bring the apology about.
The prime minister called the residential schools "a sad chapter in our history" when over 150,000 Aboriginal children were separated from their families. He spoke of the litany of abuse some of those children endured. The objective, Harper said, was to kill the Indian in the child. "Today we recognize that was wrong. It has caused great harm and has no place in our country," he offered.
The "profoundly negative" policy caused lasting and damaging effects to Indian cultures and languages and contributed to social problems that continue to exist in communities today.
Harper also rued that many died waiting for an apology from the government.
"We apologize profusely and beg your forgiveness," Harper offered to those harmed and their families.
For his part, the leader of the Liberals, Stéphane Dion, acknowledged that the Liberals were in power for most of the residential school years of the 20th century. (The last residential school closed in Saskatchewan in 1996.)"I am deeply sorry, I apologize," Dion affirmed.
Giles Duceppe, the leader of the Bloc Quebeçois, made the most political speech of the day. He told those assembled that an apology is only as effective as the action that follows.
"There must be a solemn oath made that this will never happen again," he stressed.
Layton was the most visibly emotional of the four leaders. More than once his voice caught as he spoke of the horrors visited on young children by those in authority. He spoke of the racist legislation that created the residential schools. He too apologized, adding that Canada needs to "build a fair and equitable country for all Canadians."
In a historical first, 11 prominent members of First Nations organizations, among them a 104-year-old woman, were allowed on the floor of the House of Commons to speak to the parliamentarians after the apologies were tendered.
Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, was first to accept the apologies: "This day testifies to the achievement of the impossible never again will this House consider us the Indian problem just for being who we are I reach out to all Canadians today in the spirit of reconciliation," Fontaine remarked.
The speaker of the day who drew the most response was Beverley Jacobs from the Native Women of Canada Association. She opened her remarks in her Mohawk language and then proceeded to take the government to task for destroying a matriarchal way of life and replacing it with a harsh patriarchal one run by the men of government and the men of the various church partners of the residential schools.
Jacobs acknowledged the government as being the first to apologize. But in return for accepting the apology, Jacobs said, the Native Women's Association wants respect. "Women have taken the brunt of it all," she said. The historical broadcast left many locals in tears. For SIB elder Teresa Jeffries, the day brought back many memories. "What was going through my mind was our grandparents, our parents, what they went through. This [the aftermath of the residential schools] has been going on for so long. We recognize the hurt that has gone on," she said.
Her cousin Bernie Sound echoed Jeffries' sentiment. Both women spoke sadly of the many elders and others who didn't live to see this day. Although some got to share in the "Common Experience" funds the government released last year to survivors of the residential schools, the ultimate admission of Canada's complicity in the attempts to erase their culture was denied to many.
They reminisced about the irony of French-speaking nuns denying children the right to speak in their own language. They remembered one child who was punished by being forced to run on one leg in the cold and rain until he died.
"One day I hope our children, our grandchildren, will see this as something that happened and they make sure it never happens again - never, ever happens again. They took away who we were as a people," Jeffries said.
Former SIB chief Stan Dixon and his wife Lori, both residential school survivors, watched the broadcast from their home. For them, the day was filled with emotion.
"After Harper, spoke I let out a huge breath - I didn't even realize I was holding my breath," Lori said.
Long-time supporter of the Conservative party, Lori was pleased that her loyalty had not been in vain.
"It took a Conservative prime minister, and a young man at that. It was a gutsy thing for Canada to do, because now we can move on," she said.
She was surprised at the depth of her reaction to the speeches.
"I'm astonished at myself. I've been crying for two straight hours. It feels good to erase it."
Now, she said, it's time to look to the future.
"I'm not expecting to get up tomorrow and suddenly the clouds will be parted," she said.
But through the Truth and Recon-ciliation Commission created by the government to reach out to First Nations people over the next five years, there will be a chance for those impacted to own their past.
"Some people have been holding on to their story for so long, it will be hard for them to let go," she shared.
For his part, Stan said now is the time to look at getting rid of the Indian Act. He expressed appreciation for the apology.
"From what I saw and heard, it was good. Some may say the prime minister didn't go far enough; the Liberals and NDP were more specific on issues. But it's not the role of the PM to get emotional," Stan said. He said it's now important to work to making all Canadians equal. He said education has to be a top priority.
But never again, the prime minister has vowed, in a residential school.
