Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada Media Clips

Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada
Media Clips
Résolution des questions des pensionnats indiens
Canada
Manchettes
Thursday, April 5, 2007 jeudi, 5 avril 2007
Table of Contents/ Table des matières
1. CBC North North Beat (4 Apr 07) “Tough decision ahead for residential school survivors”
2. CBKF FM Midi Plus (3 Avr 07) « Entente de compensations: obstacle vient d'être franchi »
3. Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Press Release “Residential schools
tragedy - AFNQL demands an apology from the Canadian government”
4. CBC Radio On the Coast (4 Apr 07) “Interview with Dr. Sakej Henderson”
5. Firstperspective.ca (4 Apr 07) “Haggling over Children in State Care”
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CBC North North Beat (4 Apr 07) “Tough decision ahead for residential school survivors”
TRANSCRIPT
Apr 4/2007
Media Outlet:CBC-North (North)
Date:
20:10
Program:North Beat
Time:
Anchor / Reporter:Carol Morin / Paul Andrew
Length: 03:00
Topic:Tough decision ahead for residential school survivors
Carol Morin: Many aboriginal people across the country have a tough decision to make whether or not to
accept the federal government's residential school package. The deal gives former students $10,000 for
the first year and $3,000 for every year after that. There is additional money for those who were physically
or sexually abused.
But as Paul Andrew reports, it is an emotional decision for many.
Ernie Lennie (Former Residential School Student): Would $10,000 be fair and just to take any human
being from their home, kicking and screaming, at such a young age?
Paul Andrew: Ernie Lennie spent 10 years at Grolier Hall in Inuvik. He will not accept the settlement
package. Lennie says the package focuses too much on abuses that took place in residential schools.
He says other historical issues should have been addressed.
Ernie Lennie: Residential school is a product of the Indian Act which removed our identity, our association
t o our culture, our language, the land, resources, all the things that every human citizen in the world has
access to.
I would never forget what I went through. I would not forget that.
Paul Andrew: Bob Washinia spent eight years in residential schools. His mother and two brothers also
went to residential schools. He knows the trauma his family and others went through.
He’s going to take the package even though he is not happy with it.
Bob Washinia (Former residential school student): So my compensation, I would have asked for a
pension because I would have worked and I would have been retired by now. I would want shelter. The
most common thing, a shelter. You know, warm clothing and something to use to continue living.
Paul Andrew: Like Bob, many aboriginal people spent many years at residential schools. They could get
up to $40,000 but Washinia is afraid the money could do even more harm.
Bob Washinia: Well this money stuff, that’s scary stuff. It didn't belong to us. We don’t know how to deal
with that but we’re going to get that money and some of us, we’re going to... it’s not going to make any
difference.
On the outside, we might look successful, whether it be in job, financial or even emotional.
Paul Andrew: Despite the success of some former residential school students, Lennie says there is a
generation of people left emotionally damaged.
He says it took him 20 years to acknowledge the impact that living in residential schools had on him. He
says accepting the settlement now would be a great disservice to aboriginal people in Canada.
Ernie Lennie: And I don't think any citizen in this country or in the world will say that it’s fair and just and
that’s the message that I want to get through.
Paul Andrew: Paul Andrew, CBC News, Yellowknife.
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CBKF FM Midi Plus (3 Avr 07) « Entente de compensations: obstacle vient d'être franchi »
TRANSCRIPTION
3 avril 07
Média:CBKF-FM (Regina)
Date:
Émission:Midi Plus
Heure: 12:05
Animateur/Journaliste:Guy Michaud, Justine Boutet
Durée: 02:20 min.
Sujet:Entente de compensations: obstacle vient d'être franchi
Guy Michaud: Un important obstacle vient d'être franchi dans l'entente de compensation pour les anciens
pensionnaires autochtones. La cour d'appel de la Saskatchewan rejetait ce matin unanimement la requête
du gouvernement fédéral en ce qui concerne les honoraires du groupe d'avocats réginois Merchant Law
Group.
Justine Boutet s'est penchée sur la décision de ce matin. Elle est en studio pour nous en parler. Bonjour,
Justine.
Justine Boutet: Bonjour, Guy.
Guy Michaud: Peut-être nous rappeler le contexte derrière ce jugement.
Justine Boutet: En janvier dernier, le procureur général du Canada en a appelé d'une partie de la décision
de la cour du banc de la Reine de Regina en ce qui a trait aux honoraires de la firme Merchant Law
Group. Le gouvernement fédéral, qui souhaitait passer au peigne fin les dossiers de la firme avant de lui
accorder l'argent qu'elle réclamait, c'est-à-dire au moins 25 millions de dollars pour la défense d'environ
10 000 autochtones, mais la Cour d'appel ce matin en a décidé autrement.
Guy Michaud: Et qu'est-ce que ça signifie exactement concrètement, cette décision?
Justine Boutet: Eh bien tout d'abord, la poursuite en justice était l'obstacle majeur qui freinait le processus
d'indemnisation parce que les paiements ne pouvaient pas être envoyés tant et aussi longtemps que le
dossier n'était pas réglé en cour. Ça veut dire aussi que le gouvernement ne pourra pas vérifier les livres
de la firme Merchant et ça, l'avocat Evatt Merchant croit que c'est une bonne nouvelle pour les victimes.
On l'écoute.
Evatt Merchant (avocat, Merchant Law Group): La plus grande victoire pour nos clients, c'est de savoir
que leur information est protégée. On va traiter ça d'une façon confidentielle et le gouvernement ne peut
pas avoir ça.
Justine Boutet: Mais ce n'est pas tout, Guy. Le cabinet d'avocats va recevoir au moins 25 millions de
dollars pour ses années de travail. Il pourrait même obtenir jusqu'à 40 millions, une somme qu'il souhaite
obtenir après que ses clients reçoivent leur dû d'Ottawa.
Et puis finalement la firme Merchant qui va continuer de représenter gratuitement les victimes qui sont
admissibles à 10 000 dollars en compensation initiale et à 3 000 dollars pour chaque année subséquente
au pensionnat.
Guy Michaud: Et justement vous parlez de compensation. Maintenant que la poursuite de ce volet-là est
réglé, quand est-ce que les anciens pensionnaires vont commencer à recevoir leur chèque?
Justine Boutet: Eh bien, on s'attend que ce soit dans au moins cinq mois parce que dans les cinq
prochains mois, les victimes autochtones devront décider si elles acceptent l'offre gouvernementale ou
décident de se retirer du recours collectif. Sinon, si elles décident de se retirer, elles pourraient perdre
leur 10 000 dollars de versement.
Guy Michaud: Et rapidement, au bureau du procureur général, qu'est-ce qu'on dit?
Justine Boutet: Il révise présentement la décision de la cour d'appel et sa dernière option est d'aller en
Cour suprême. Il a 60 jours pour demander l'autorisation d'en appeler du jugement.
Guy Michaud: Justine Boutet, merci.
Justine Boutet: Merci à vous.
4
5
Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Press Release “Residential schools tragedy AFNQL demands an apology from the Canadian government”
WENDAKE,QC, April 5 /CNW Telbec/ - The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL)
is calling on Prime Minister Harper to offer, on behalf of the Canadian government, a full apology to all the
residential school survivors who were left severely scarred by their experience and were forced to
abandon their language and culture.
AFNQL Regional Chief Ghislain Picard strongly deplored the recent announcement by Minister Jim
Prentice, who indicated that the federal government would not be making any apology for the residential
schools because their objective had simply been to provide an 'education' to Aboriginal children. "The
federal government's position is completely irresponsible and unacceptable. Entire lives have been
shattered and destroyed because of this tragic episode in Canada's history. We demand that the
government accept its responsibilities to allow all those who suffered so much to finally begin a true
healing and reconciliation process," said Mr. Picard.
Mr. Picard noted that the federal government had made Aboriginal children attend the residential schools
as part of its attempt to assimilate the First Nations. "I believe we have been patient enough regarding this
issue and the time has come for the federal government to act in the best interests of everyone who has
been harmed," he said.
The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador is the regional organization representing the
Chiefs of the First Nations in Quebec and Labrador.
6
CBC Radio On the Coast (4 Apr 07) “Interview with Dr. Sakej Henderson”
TRANSCRIPT
Media Outlet:
Program:
Anchor / Reporter:
Topic:
CBC-R (Vancouver)
On the Coast
Priya Ramu
Interview with Dr. Sakej Henderson
Apr 4/2007
Date:
15:48
Time:
Length: 07:25
Priya Ramu: Young aboriginal people represent the fastest growing segment of Canada’s population. But
by and large, they’re an untapped resource in the labour market.
And conference in Ottawa today is looking at this very issue. Dr. Sakej Henderson is the Research
Director the Native Law Centre of Canada and he joins us on the line.
Hello.
Dr. Sakej Henderson (Research Director, Native Law Centre of Canada): Hello.
Priya Ramu: So this is an untapped resource, why?
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, it’s never been looked at and it’s never been structured and people haven't
tried to shape how people can unlock the potential, that this is the first national conference on the topic. It
has all the business, like B.C. Hydro and Shell and Scotia Bank and Diavik Diamonds. All the people who
want to hire aboriginal people, with all the people and bands and employments officers and human
development people that are all working together, trying to listen and figure out and theorize and make a
strategy about how this can happen.
Priya Ramu: Hmm, and based on your experience thus far, looking at some of these issues, what would
you say the primary barrier is? Or perhaps there are many.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, there’s many barriers. There’s many degrees of prejudice and discrimination
against aboriginal people as the conference keeps exposing and dealing with. But that aside, there’s a lot
of potential that’s being trapped by the forced education system residential school and even continuing on
to today.
This whole benefit and punishment system aboriginal students respond negatively to and about 60 per
cent are still dropping out of high school but that’s going to be solved by the educators taking over Indian
education as a federal responsibility and creating a curriculum that can move them forward I the trades
quicker than the ordinary high school system.
Priya Ramu: It is always interesting to me the legacy of residential schools, the impact that it has, that it
exists still for contemporary populations. How is that, exactly?
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, the whole theory of residential school hasn’t changed and that’s that
aboriginal people have to change and they have to change towards someone else’s vision of what they
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should be. And that’s been a huge failure not only in Canada but the United States, Australia and New
Zealand.
Wherever you find it, you find it’s been really traumatic and ineffective at reaching anything.
We know that the alternative is to create a therapeutic form of teaching, a form of transformative education
that builds and can be sustainable through a whole lifetime.
Finding the exact way to package that in a curriculum is the task of Indian educators in Canada and
they’re doing a fair job of figuring it out but they’re going to have to do a better job of selling it to both the
federal government and the provincial government.
But B.C.’s one of those places where they’ve signed a new, exciting educational agreement...
Priya Ramu: Um-hmm.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: ... to do this kind of stuff so it’s becoming one of the leaders in the nation.
Priya Ramu: Hmm. And it’s not lost on institutions like UBC, for example. The low graduation rates and
the need for very focused and targeted education programs, yes?
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Yes. I mean, it’s moving beyond what most people think of high school but a high
school’s orientated toward a trade or a trade... a job at the end of it and some work studies. All those
things are possible in a federal system with First Nations controlling it and gearing it toward what they
need in their communities.
But it’s not for the general population trying to meet the general needs of B.C.
Priya Ramu:
understood.
Now, you made mention of a benefit punishment system which I don't think I quite
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, it’s all the grades things. If you do good, you’re... you benefit. If you do bad,
you’re punished and then you eventually drop off the list because you fell out or you just get taught that
school’s not for you and that’s the wrong lesson. And that kind of trauma continues intergenerational as
we’ve learned from residential schools.
The business of teaching today is the same as it was in the old days in the residential school. It’s
inherently violent and traumatic in nature and it doesn't truly respect aboriginal language, knowledge,
humanity or science. It reflects other things and people have to memorize things that don't mean anything
to themselves and they vanish in the process.
And when their self vanishes, they eventually drop out of school to find out who they are.
Priya Ramu: Hmm. But is this a critique, I wonder, that would apply across the board, not simply to an
aboriginal student population then? Certainly with the numbers of new immigrants we have coming into
Canada, if the bigger question is how to deal with a labour shortage, this is an untapped resource, you
would apply that question across the board, wouldn’t you?
8
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, you could but also the benefit of the immigration is they come through the
British colonial system where ever they came from. So they’re very familiar with the basic rudimentaries
of the punishment and success model of education.
Priya Ramu: Hmm.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: So... but it’s the same thing when they start to try and maximize who they are in the
Canadian context. They start running into that same problem of identity that hinders your confidence and
prevents you from having a lot of pride in who you are.
But...
Priya Ramu: Now, as you’ve gone through the system though, Dr. Henderson, have you seen an
evolution at all in that time? Have you seen change?
Dr. Sakej Henderson: There’s a lot of change and it’s a great evolving but it’s incremental change of each
person coming to grip. We found out that the thing that’s most important is to have quality context and
quality time with each other and that’s the only thing that changes the barriers of racism and prejudice and
things like that.
But how to do that in an educational system is very difficult because we have a huge number of issues.
Priya Ramu: So are there solutions and you see which could potentially bridge some of those gaps? Are
there ones that you’ve come to learn in these years that you’ll present at this conference, for example?
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well yes. There’s a lot. The Native Law Centre’s a model. The new Aboriginal
Learning and Knowledge Centre in Saskatchewan, which is dealing with how aboriginal people learn not
so much how they’re taught but what it is that maximizes their learning. That’s another wonderful model
that’s a national model.
And all of these things are happening and the process of this conference and the people who are hear and
the engagements you feel and the goodwill you feel, it makes you feel that we will be able to solve this
problem and unleash the potential of aboriginal people in the workforce.
Priya Ramu: It still feels like it’s missing some specifics for me, Dr. Henderson, but I imagine it’s an
ongoing dialogue in this regard.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Well, it’s person-by-person too and company-by-company and matching the
corporate culture with a culture dignity and self and they haven’t worked on it very hard in the past but
they’re now having to work on it to capture the aboriginal presence in the north and turn it into potential.
Priya Ramu: Dr. Henderson, we’re going to leave it at that for this afternoon. Thank you.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Okay.
Priya Ramu: Bye bye.
Dr. Sakej Henderson: Bye.
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Priya Ramu: Dr. Sakej Henderson is the Research Director at the Native Law Centre at the University of
Saskatchewan. He’s speaking a conference in Ottawa called Unlocking Aboriginal Potential in the
Workplace.
10
Firstperspective.ca (4 Apr 07) “Haggling over Children in State Care”
Just as the Canadian courts approved the settlement of the Native Residential School Lawsuit, the
Canadian government is being challenged with another human rights complaint involving native children in
state custody. On February 23, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS), along with the
Assembly of First Nations, filed a human rights claim in the name of the 27, 000 First Nations children
currently in state care. Cindy Blackstock, of FNCFCS, told a news conference that, "In reviewing the
available evidence, what is clear is that there are more First Nations children living in state care today than
at any time in history - including during the height of the residential school operations."
The complaint was filed after Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Jim Prentice responded to the claim
by haggling over numbers and statistics rather than focusing on solutions that his own department (INAC)
worked on in the 2005 Wen: de report. The report calculated that 27, 000 children both on and off-reserve
are in state custody. Assembly of First Nations scolded Prentice for only focusing on the 9,000 reserve
children in custody saying, "It is unfortunate that the Minister will not acknowledge the true extent of the
problem, and instead chooses to focus on the exact number of on-reserve First Nation children in state
care. As the Minister responsible for status Indians in Canada, it is disappointing that the Minister is not
concerned with the total number of First Nations children in care."
Compared to non-aboriginal children in custody, the statistics are staggering, "The over-representation of
First Nations children in child welfare care is drastic - an analysis of child welfare data from three sample
provinces indicates as of May of 2005- 0.67% of all non-Aboriginal children were in child welfare care as
compared to 10.23 per cent of all Status Indian children." Cindy Blackstock pointed to the preventive
measures needed to address the crisis, "What is also clear is that many of these removals could be
prevented if the federal government funded the intensive family and child supports needed to keep
children safely at home known as prevention programs and least disruptive measures while actively
supporting First Nations to address the poverty, poor housing and substance misuse on reserves."
After the human rights complaint was filed, Prentice again skirted these issues and expressed his
displeasure on the claim saying that Canada already spends "an awful lot of money" on natives. Prentice
refused to negotiate more funding insinuating that First Nations were all ready receiving more than their
fair share, "The government of Canada spends approximately $15,100 on our first nation citizens [on
reserve] if you go right across the government . . . now that's an awful lot of money. It is significantly more
than the government of Canada and all other levels of government together spend on non-aboriginal
Canadians, if you will." In front of reporters, he even went so far as to appraise whether native peoples
were worth what Canada spends on them, "Are we getting value for the dollars?"
Yet, as Blackstock points out, the shortfalls in the welfare system were reported by Prentice's own
ministry, "We are proud of the recommendations the Wen: de reports have received from First Nations
and the Department of Indian Affairs but we are disappointed that none of the recommendations to
redress the overwhelming shortfall of federal child welfare funding have been acted on by the federal
government." Blackstock puts the funding needed in perspective, "Giving First Nations child welfare
agencies the basic tools they need to help children and families would only cost less than one percent of
the $13 billion dollar federal surplus budget."
To put a face on the very real crisis facing native children, the same week the human rights complaint was
filed findings from an inquest into Winnipeg's sex trade were published noting the city's aboriginal
population as being disproportionately affected, "because of a combination of entrenched poverty and
generations of neglect." The inquest was established after 14 year old, Tracia Owen, committed suicide;
she was involved in the sex trade and, astonishingly, was moved more than 65 times in her life through a
variety of foster homes and care facilities. The inquest reported that 400 girls may be involved in the sex
trade in Winnipeg, with the majority of them being aboriginal children.
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Only a few weeks after FNCFCS filed their complaint, on March 8, the provincial and territorial judges
involved in the settlement for residential school survivors have approved the court orders which will move
the case forward. But as the residential school survivors find some closure, one can't help but wonder
when the disaster facing aboriginal children in Canada's care will really end. Cindy Blackstock has the
same inquiry for Canada, "The question for Canadians is not why Canada should act to ensure the
equality and safety of First Nations children - the question is why Canada would not do it?" Blackstock
ends her press conference from the heart rather than with more statistics, "we love them enough to stand
up for them and give them an equal chance to live safely at home - just like other Canadian children." Can
the Honourable Minister Jim Prentice haggle with that?
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