Where are the Children?

There are four key components that are required to address the residential school legacy - acknowledgement, redress, reconciliation, and healing. In order to address the legacy of abuse and harm resulting from the residential school system, the wrongs must be acknowledged and the situation must be rectified. In doing so, a relationship of dignity and mutual respect between survivors and Canada can be re-established and reconciliation can take place. None of this can be accomplished, however, without the fourth component - healing.

We look back today at a system that tried to erase Aboriginal culture from history and we look forward to a time when there is reconciliation, a return to a relationship of mutual respect as articulated in the historic treaties between Aboriginal peoples and Canada.

The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) identified acknowledgement and resolution of residential school issues as a key component in restoring a relationship of mutual trust and respect between peoples.

We believe firmly that the time has come to resolve a fundamental contraction at the heart of Canada: that while we assume the role of defender of human rights in the international community, we retain, in our conception of Canada's origins and makeup, the remnants of colonial attitudes of cultural superiority that do violence to the Aboriginal peoples to whom they are directed.

The theme of human rights and restoration was repeated by national Chief Phil Fontaine addressing the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) proposal for compensating residential school survivors:

Our model will prove to be the one in which Canada and Canadians can be proud. It will enhance Canada's reputation as a world leader of human rights, while at the same time increase the stature and respect for first peoples at home and abroad. It would also set an international standard and methodology for dealing with mass violations of human rights. Finally, it will put behind us, in an honourable way, the most disgraceful, harmful, racist experiment ever conducted in our history.

Chief Fontaine, himself a survivor of residential school abuse, was speaking to the issue of redress, with the unanimous endorsement of First Nations chiefs at a special meeting in 2004. His passionate pursuit of redress is fuelled not only by his personal experience. It expresses the sentiment of many, many Aboriginal people who perceive the injustices inflected upon children in residential schools as symbolic of the repeated violations of dignity that they themselves have experienced and continue to confront. In this context, healing of residential school trauma takes on mythic proportions, becoming a vehicle for healing the relationship between nations.

Canada and the churches have offered their regrets to survivors - regret over the role they played in the operation of the residential school system. It is important to acknowledge that much progress has been made through continuous efforts over the course of more than a decade. That progress is the result of hard work, dedication and commitment to changing the dynamics that have plagued the relations between Canada and Aboriginal people. Hopefully, we can look back at this time in history as another milestone along our journey toward peace, reconciliation and right relations.

The Government of Canada established both the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement's Common Experience Payment (CEP) - in order to move ahead in addressing the long-standing and destructive legacy of the Indian Residential School System, which includes lateral violence, suicide, poverty, alcoholism, lack of parenting skills, weakening or destruction of cultures and languages, and lack of capacity to build and sustain healthy families and communities.

The Common Experience Payment provides direct compensation to all former students of Indian residential schools. In essence, its purposes are to avoid decades of legal confrontation and to provide a timely, symbolic out-of-court settlement. However, this payment in no way makes up for the pain and suffering of the victims of residential school abuses.

The agreement-in-principle set in place a comprehensive approach that would include: a lump sum payment for all survivors; a more efficient and effective process to deal with serious claims of abuse; a national "truth-telling" commission to bring greater understanding and awareness of this issue; expedited compensation payments for the elderly; and healing and commemoration.

Recognition that the experience of residential schooling had long-lasting damaging effects on Aboriginal children has emerged slowly in the consciousness of Canadians. Aboriginal people themselves, in many cases, have been unaware of the connection between the deprivation, humiliation and violence that they experienced in residential schools and subsequent challenges to their physical, social, emotional and spiritual well-being.58 Survivors of residential schools often speak of the long road that they walk, the setbacks to be overcome and the relationships that sustain them in their healing journey.

Healing has diverse meanings, depending on the persons, agencies or communities that are consulted. Elders and leaders in the Aboriginal healing movement see it as restoring physical, mental, social/emotional and spiritual balance to individuals, families, communities and nations that have suffered repeated assaults on their well-being over the course of generations.

Discussion of residential school abuse is often referred to as 'breaking the silence.' Creating awareness of the residential school legacy is a catalyst for healing. Educating survivors, intergenerational survivors, youth, non-Aboriginal people and health and social service providers about the legacy helps to open contact with survivors and create a safe and supportive environment in which they can reclaim wellness. Beginning the healing journey is an act of courage and empowerment, a rightful reclamation of culture and balance.

Some communities have raised awareness and acknowledged the suffering and resilience of survivors by organizing cultural events such as feasts or ceremonies to honour them. Radio broadcasts in an Aboriginal language, theatre presentations and films have also been used to promote understanding. In a climate of safety, survivors are able to allow painful memories and the feelings associated with them to surface in their conscious minds.

Reclaiming a strong identity and a healthy way of life that was disrupted in childhood is a long term process.61 Individuals, families and communities are experiencing the healing effects of that recovery. Embracing Aboriginal identity, whether by learning and speaking an Aboriginal language, harvesting or eating traditional foods or visiting sacred places, has proven to be effective to healing for many survivors. Participating in activities such as talking circles or sweats allows survivors to actively seek out wellness.

As survivors regain personal wellness they often develop the capacity to give back to the community and support others on their healing journey. Survivors can become role models who lead others on their healing journey. Communities then have access to home-grown expertise and solutions based on Aboriginal world view.

Healing also generates concrete economic dividends. A shining example of this is provided in the report, A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Hollow Water's Community Holistic Circle Healing Process, which was co-funded by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and the Solicitor General of Canada in 2001.

The Hollow Water First Nation in Manitoba is a small Anishinabe community that has been deeply impacted by the legacy of residential schools. Hollow Water introduced a Community Holistic Circle Healing (CHCH) process in the mid-1980s to deal with sexual offenders in the community. CHCH became an alternative to incarceration for offenders who admitted their offence and took responsibility for participating in the 13-step CHCH process. Over the ten-year period reviewed in the report, CHCH dealt with 107 victimizers and 400 to 500 victims, primarily of sexual abuse.

Reports from other community healing projects funded by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation illustrate the restorative changes that are taking place within individuals, families and communities.

After participating in a letting go ceremony at a healing camp in British Columbia, an elder reported that he was able to fall asleep with the lights off for the first time since leaving residential school.63 In an urban art therapy program in Ontario, parents and children described the positive impacts on family life of learning to really listen to each other.

A project team working in a residential healing program in Atlantic Canada noticed a dramatic change in the behaviour of some of the women; namely anger and aggression were being replaced by a nurturing attitude toward fellow participants. An increase in volunteerism in one small community is leading people to believe that things are changing for the better. In another community, youth are approaching elders with questions about life in the old days.

Healing from the residential school legacy is adding momentum to renewed interest in traditional culture across the country. Parents and grandparents are beginning to talk about their residential school years, sometimes for the first time.

By the year 2008 most of the church denominations that were responsible for the operation of the residential schools in Canada had publicly apologized for their role in the neglect, abuse, and suffering of the children placed in their care. Most of these organizations apologized through their national offices, except for the Catholic Church who left it up to individual dioceses to make apologies.

In June of 2008, the Federal Government of Canada also apologized for their historical role in the residential school system.64 By saying "we are sorry," Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged the Canadian government's role in a century of isolating native children from their homes, families and cultures.

Harper called residential schools a sad chapter in Canadian history and indicated that the policies that supported and protected the system were harmful and wrong.

In order to make the apology as public as possible, Parliament stopped regular proceedings and the galleries were filled with school survivors. Many more people listened from outside the Parliament buildings and across the country through a life television broadcast. Native leaders entered the House of Commons with Harper and sat to hear his speech, wherein he took responsibility on behalf of the federal government for cultural loss and patterns of abuse that resulted from the schools' policy.

After Harper spoke, leaders of the other government parties replied, as well as responses from Native leaders. Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief, Phil Fontaine spoke about the need for equality between racial groups. "Brave survivors, through telling their stories, have stripped white supremacy of its legitimacy," he said. "Never again will this house consider us 'the Indian problem' just for being who we are. What happened today signifies a new dawn on the relationship between us and the rest of Canada . . . We are all part of one garment of destiny. The ties that bind us are deeper than those that separate us. We still have to struggle, but now we are in this together."

For the thousands of survivors watching from across Canada, the government's apology was an historic occasion, though the response was mixed. Most believe there is still much to be done.