Elizabeth II should apologize and be compensated for the Anglican Church’s role in Canada’s infamous residential school system, tribal leaders say
Canadian Aboriginal leaders and survivors of the residential school system plan to raise a formal apology and compensation from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II this weekend as her son and heir to the throne, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visit Canada.
Under the controversial school system, which has been formally compared “Cultural Genocide,” More than 150,000 Indigenous children were removed from their families and forced to attend church-run state schools across Canada by the late 1990’s.
Cassidy Caron, president of the Metis Council of Canada, a representative body of the Metis people in northwestern Canada, said she would raise the issue during a meeting at the Redo Hall with Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla of Cornwall.
“Our community needs basic humanitarian needs and it stems from colonization. It stems from assimilation and some financial compensation is absolutely helpful to help us move forward,” he said. Caron Dr.
Indigenous peoples believe that the Crown violated the treaties it signed with many of the first nations, which included a promise to share resources. “Rani is also a member of the agreement and has an obligation to abide by her agreement.” Paul Andrew, who attended Grolier Hall, a residential school in the town of Inuvik in the northwest.
“It would be nice to have an apology, but I think it’s much more important that we see the kind of action we need to take.” Andrew, a former head of the Tulita community in the northwest, said the queen should ensure that no more land was taken from the First Nations and that their rights were respected. “We’re demanding a new relationship … the ball is in their court.” Andrew Dr.
In a 2015 report on residential schools, the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified the names or information of more than 4,100 children who died in the system. However, the exact number was not known.
The Anglican Church, which was officially headed by the Queen, operated 36 boarding schools between 1820 and 1969 – the second largest number of schools run by the Roman Catholic Church. During that time it operated more than 150 Indian schools.
Piata Ernick, a former commissioner of Nunavut and a surviving resident of a residential school, said she wanted to apologize to Charles and Camilla and share what she had learned from their trip with the Queen. “We should sincerely apologize to them for the loss of our indigenous people.” He adds, he says “It would be a really good thing to do for healing and reunion among the Anglicans as well as the royal people.”
“They have done almost the same thing as the Roman Catholic Church in the loss of culture, the loss of language, the loss of traditional spirituality.” Ernick added, referring to the Anglican Church.
Charles and Camilla will arrive in Canada on Tuesday for a three-day visit. The trip will involve an “Serious moments of reflection and prayer” A heart garden has been planted in memory of indigenous children who died in residential schools, according to media reports. The tour will include Inuktitut, mickmac music, feasts of fire, as well as visits to indigenous communities.
Canada is still reeling from the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves last year at various former residential school sites. The revelation prompted Ottawa to commit “Historical Compensation” To the survivors in December 2021.
Pope Francis apologized to Canada’s First Nations community during a meeting with Canadian Indigenous representatives in April. “It’s cool to think of a concerted effort to evoke feelings of inferiority, to deprive people of their cultural identities, to uproot them, and to consider all the personal and social influences that result from this: the unresolved trauma that has become intergenerational trauma.” He said.
Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury followed his lead the same month. “I am sorry that the church has degraded your spirituality, your culture and traditions and above all your language. “ He said at the time.
Although not everyone agrees that apologizing to the Crown is the right thing to do. Murray Sinclair, former chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, believes this could only make it worse.
“The way we are, it will distract and distract us from the important conversations we need to have about what we can do to change our relationship.” The former chair said he led an effort to investigate the experiences of thousands of aboriginal people who were sent to residential schools as children.
