Laurie McDonald is First Nations residential school survivor, having attended the Ermineskin residential school in Alberta as a child.
He witnessed abuse in the form of neglect, physical and sexual abuse of children and emotional abuse.
B次元官网网址淎ll those things were part of it,B次元官网网址� said McDonald, an instructor at the Caring for First Nations Children Society in Langford. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not ancient history. And weB次元官网网址檙e certainly feeling the affects of it.B次元官网网址�
Today the healing from this dark chapter in Canadian history continues with the Truth and Reconciliation process, which strives to help all Canadians to move forward through understanding and acceptance.
Tuesday, Sept. 3 brings a Truth and Reconciliation community event to the Caring for First Nations Children Society (664 Granderson Rd.). The society will host an open house and two elders from the Tsawout First Nation will speak on their experiences and the importance of the reconciliation process.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping to have some of the aboriginal community and the non-aboriginal community come, so we can create that awareness and make those connections with the community,B次元官网网址� said Linda Lucas, executive director.
The event will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the truth and reconciliation process and to form a better understanding of its importance to First Nations communities, and Canada.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately a lot of people donB次元官网网址檛 really understand the true concept of what it really means,B次元官网网址� McDonald said. B次元官网网址淭hey have to know a little bit of the history of residential schools.B次元官网网址�
Residential schools were started in the 1870s when the Government of Canada partnered with Anglican, Catholic, United and Presbyterian churches to operate boarding schools for aboriginal children. The driving concept was to assimilate and integrate First Nations into Anglo-Saxon Canadian society.
Across Canada 132 federally-supported residential schools operated at various times up until 1996. More than 150,000 children attended.
Many of the children were taken from their homes for mandatory attendance. Students were forbidden to speak their languages or practice their culture. Many received inadequate food and many others report experiences of abuse, illness, medical experiments and other injustices.
In 2008 Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially apologized for the Canadian GovernmentB次元官网网址檚 role in this B次元官网网址渟ad chapter in our history.B次元官网网址� The Truth and Reconciliation process grew from the apology and is ongoing. It will culminate with a collection of stories from the schoolsB次元官网网址� survivors.
B次元官网网址淭his is an opportunity for people to learn, not only about the history but how that history continues to impact today,B次元官网网址� said Lucas. B次元官网网址淲hen people talk about aboriginal people, or First Nations people, thereB次元官网网址檚 a tendency to blame them for their poverty or for their addictions, for living on the street, without having a context for it, an understanding of how our history continues to have those impacts.B次元官网网址�
McDonald believes healing is possible and that aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities can live together and understand one another.
B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 do nothing about the past, but we can certainly do a lot about the future,B次元官网网址� McDonald said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a matter of getting even, itB次元官网网址檚 not a matter of putting blame and itB次元官网网址檚 certainly not a matter of someone taking ownership for it. ItB次元官网网址檚 an awareness.B次元官网网址�
Sept. 19 to 21 the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be at the PNE in Vancouver to engage the public and educate on the history of residential schools in Canada and its lasting impact. The commission will also collect statements and host a survivor gathering at the event.
The Langford event begins at 11 a.m. with the open house. Presentations start at 1 p.m.
kwells@goldstreamgazette.com
