The federal government is recognizing residential schools as a national historic event. On Tuesday, Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson acknowledged the national historic significance of the Residential School System as a tragic and defining event in Canadian history.
“Telling history is not just about telling the good things.”
Two schools in Nova Scotia and Manitoba have been named national historic sites. It’s noted the experiences of former students and survivors of those schools and others across Canada have affected members of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities for generations.
Residential schools were run from the 1870s to the 1990s. Close to home, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation reports one was operated out of the Sturgeon Lake and Calais area from 1907 to 1961.
The government-run boarding schools were set up under the belief that Indigenous children would better assimilate into mainstream society if they were taught outside of their homes. Many of the children endured corporal punishment, some even sexual abuse and were denied the right to practice their language and traditions.