Subjective Factors
Groups or individuals that claimed there was a social problem that needed to be resolved
The 150,000 students that were kept and abused at residential schools in Canada were the main victims of the social problem. They were expected to keep quiet about their experiences, and because of the extreme isolation residential schools provided as an aid to assimilation, most children were left to suffer in silence. Today, many survivors have come forward about their stories, told in books and documentaries. This has resulted in monetary compensation from the government, in forms of health benefits or psychological treatment for those who have experienced mental trauma from abuse.
Parents of the children had no power to bring their children back home, as residential school attendance was mandatory for all aboriginal children at the time. They lost all communication with their child, as well as the chance to pass on culture, language and tradition.
The 150,000 students that were kept and abused at residential schools in Canada were the main victims of the social problem. They were expected to keep quiet about their experiences, and because of the extreme isolation residential schools provided as an aid to assimilation, most children were left to suffer in silence. Today, many survivors have come forward about their stories, told in books and documentaries. This has resulted in monetary compensation from the government, in forms of health benefits or psychological treatment for those who have experienced mental trauma from abuse.
Parents of the children had no power to bring their children back home, as residential school attendance was mandatory for all aboriginal children at the time. They lost all communication with their child, as well as the chance to pass on culture, language and tradition.
How the social problem was described by those that claimed there was a social problem
Residential school survivors have described their experiences in residential schools as a never-ending nightmare. Kidnapped, or at the least forcibly taken from their family's home, they were robbed of kind, nurturing parents and instead placed in a institution where all aspects of their language and culture were destroyed. (11.)
In most accounts of residential schools, a feeling of hopelessness and lack of power is mentioned. Everything, from food to clothing to their seats in the dining room, was decided for them, and disobedience meant a beating or being locked in a cellar with no food or water. (12.)
Students of residential schools tell stories of strict regimes, cruel treatment, and harsh punishment that would be considered large-scale child abuse in today's world. Aboriginal children were not reprimanded by a firm slap on the hand as children in non-aboriginal schools were, but were beaten, slapped and sexually assaulted. In some cases, people describe the feeling of horror as their sibling is whipped and hit brutally, until he or she is unconscious, at the verge of death. Severely injured or sick children were sent home, where close to 70% of them would die. (13.)
Residential school survivors have described their experiences in residential schools as a never-ending nightmare. Kidnapped, or at the least forcibly taken from their family's home, they were robbed of kind, nurturing parents and instead placed in a institution where all aspects of their language and culture were destroyed. (11.)
In most accounts of residential schools, a feeling of hopelessness and lack of power is mentioned. Everything, from food to clothing to their seats in the dining room, was decided for them, and disobedience meant a beating or being locked in a cellar with no food or water. (12.)
Students of residential schools tell stories of strict regimes, cruel treatment, and harsh punishment that would be considered large-scale child abuse in today's world. Aboriginal children were not reprimanded by a firm slap on the hand as children in non-aboriginal schools were, but were beaten, slapped and sexually assaulted. In some cases, people describe the feeling of horror as their sibling is whipped and hit brutally, until he or she is unconscious, at the verge of death. Severely injured or sick children were sent home, where close to 70% of them would die. (13.)
Groups or individuals held responsible for the social problem
Although the government stated its main reason for assimilation of Aboriginal children was to properly educate the Natives so that they could be successful labourers for a rapidly growing Canadian economy, it was the main group held responsible for the mistreatment of the children many years later.
Because the decision to put residential schools in place was largely a group decision by the government in collaboration with the Education branch, a the finger of blame was not cast on a particular individual, but rather the government as a whole. Another reason for the lack of precision for the accusation is that many residential schools were built to replace mission day schools and boarding schools for Natives that had been started from the time European explorers began to bring in priests and nuns, who tried to evangelize Natives by teaching them about the bible, and had baptism ceremonies for Native people.
Although they were not charged with the crime of isolating and torturing 150 thousand Native children in Canada, former prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald and journalist Nicholas Davin had quite a large say in the addition of residential schools. Davin was commissioned by Macdonald to look at industrial schools for Aboriginal children in the US, as a basis for what would become the residential school system. He suggested aggressive civilization by catching the children at a young age to make them more orderly and civilized. (14.)
Another important character who was again, not blamed but also partly responsible for the social problem, was Egerton Ryerson, a politician who was a public education advocate. He pushed for public schools and a better education system, which greatly helped Ontario establish the public education practices it has today, but Ryerson also believed in different methods of education for Aboriginal children. These beliefs highly influenced the start of a separate schooling organization for Natives. (15.)
Much of the blame was also put on churches, who administered the schools. They referred to French and English as "God's language", and punished those who did not use it. Children were also forced to kneel and pray at the end of each day and perform many other tasks and rituals associated with Christianity, which opposed their traditional religions and cultures.
The Roman Catholic Church was the dominating church at the time, and ran the bulk of the residential schools. The Anglican Church, however, also played a large role in the assimilation of Native children, operating about 36 schools in total. (16.)
Both the government and the Anglican Church made separate apologies on behalf of all those involved in the Canadian residential school system. Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a statement of apology in 2008, stating that "the system was a sad chapter in Canada's history." (17.) The Anglican church had apologized much earlier in 1993, when Archbishop Michael Peers offered a full apology for the church being involved in the ill-treatment of many Aboriginal children.
Although the government stated its main reason for assimilation of Aboriginal children was to properly educate the Natives so that they could be successful labourers for a rapidly growing Canadian economy, it was the main group held responsible for the mistreatment of the children many years later.
Because the decision to put residential schools in place was largely a group decision by the government in collaboration with the Education branch, a the finger of blame was not cast on a particular individual, but rather the government as a whole. Another reason for the lack of precision for the accusation is that many residential schools were built to replace mission day schools and boarding schools for Natives that had been started from the time European explorers began to bring in priests and nuns, who tried to evangelize Natives by teaching them about the bible, and had baptism ceremonies for Native people.
Although they were not charged with the crime of isolating and torturing 150 thousand Native children in Canada, former prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald and journalist Nicholas Davin had quite a large say in the addition of residential schools. Davin was commissioned by Macdonald to look at industrial schools for Aboriginal children in the US, as a basis for what would become the residential school system. He suggested aggressive civilization by catching the children at a young age to make them more orderly and civilized. (14.)
Another important character who was again, not blamed but also partly responsible for the social problem, was Egerton Ryerson, a politician who was a public education advocate. He pushed for public schools and a better education system, which greatly helped Ontario establish the public education practices it has today, but Ryerson also believed in different methods of education for Aboriginal children. These beliefs highly influenced the start of a separate schooling organization for Natives. (15.)
Much of the blame was also put on churches, who administered the schools. They referred to French and English as "God's language", and punished those who did not use it. Children were also forced to kneel and pray at the end of each day and perform many other tasks and rituals associated with Christianity, which opposed their traditional religions and cultures.
The Roman Catholic Church was the dominating church at the time, and ran the bulk of the residential schools. The Anglican Church, however, also played a large role in the assimilation of Native children, operating about 36 schools in total. (16.)
Both the government and the Anglican Church made separate apologies on behalf of all those involved in the Canadian residential school system. Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a statement of apology in 2008, stating that "the system was a sad chapter in Canada's history." (17.) The Anglican church had apologized much earlier in 1993, when Archbishop Michael Peers offered a full apology for the church being involved in the ill-treatment of many Aboriginal children.