According to CBC, September 30th is Canada's sixth 'National Truth and Reconciliation Day'. This holiday serves as an opportunity to reflect on issues such as colonialism, racial discrimination, and the cultural genocide of indigenous peoples in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in a statement that the boarding school system is based on so-called "assimilation policies," aiming to sever children's connections to their language, culture, identity, and lifestyle.
Canada's boarding school system for indigenous children lasted from 1857 until 1996. Approximately 150,000 indigenous children were forced to leave their families and attend schools run by the government or religious institutions.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) conducted extensive investigations into boarding schools for several years, and its report revealed the destructive effects these schools had on indigenous people.
The committee found that these institutions aimed to assimilate indigenous children into the dominant European-Canadian culture, causing profound intergenerational trauma and harm. These schools were commonly plagued by abuse and neglect, resulting in the death of as many as 6,000 people, most of whom died from malnutrition or illness.
On the anniversary of the release of the 2013 White Paper on Comprehensive Economic and Social Development, only 15 out of the 94 action proposals made were implemented.
Kanied said that the government has established and maintained this system, and Canada is responsible for the profound and lasting harm it has caused.
Carnie also stated in his statement that his government owes the survivors not just memories: "What we owe them is action. The 94 actions called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission remains the roadmap for this work."
Canadian Governor Louise Arbour stated that it is crucial to confront the troubling past in order to build a better country.
She said that while acknowledging facts cannot change the past, it reminds people that memory carries responsibilities—responsibilities to confront these injustices, learn from them, and ensure that tragedies do not happen again.
