Social Problem Resolved?
On June 11th, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to the past victims of abuse at aboriginal residential schools, calling it 'a sad chapter of our history (21). While many appreciated the recognition of wrongdoing from the government, it alone has not made up for the immense amount of suffering that children went through, nor does it cover the insufficient financial support the government has tried to give in the past.
One well-known instance is the Aboriginal Healing Fund, set up in 1998 with $1.9 million in the form of a compensation fund (22.) out of the 350 million dollar project (23). This helped fund community based healing projects that addressed physical and sexual abuse at the schools. (24.) However, This 350 million dollars was set to only last 5 years rather than support long term, more effective programs. Many organizations closed due to lack of funding, causing greater harm and risk to survivors that had only began their healing journey.
Another flaw this Healing Fund had was that it did not provide for language and culture programs. Re-establishing one's culture and language is the least that can be done, as the purpose of the schools was to dampen these very things in a child -leaving some with no true identity.
After 80 years and $800 million dollars committed to assimilation, the government only spent $350 million in the course of 5 years on healing projects. (25.)
While the government did make some attempts to rejuvenate these programs, just 12 years after it hard started, the Canadian government stopped all funding to the Aboriginal Healing Fund in 2010, instead spending a portion of money for 'Health Canada Government Run Programs'. Though this did provide some support in terms of physical health, it was still far from the work being done in aboriginal communities, run by aboriginal people. (26.)
Another effort Canada made to aid its first nations population was by attending the International Affairs Regarding Indigenous Affairs conference hosted by the UN in 2007. During this meeting, the UN chose to adopt the declaration of rights of indigenous peoples, which set out the individual and collective rights of indigenous people. The declaration highlighted their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, and education, all things that were affected by residential schools. It also prohibited discrimination and promoted their full and effective participation and their own choices of economic and social development.
This declaration had 143 of the attending member states vote in favour, with 4 voting against. Shockingly, Canada was one of the four countries that did not agree to giving native people the rights that they should have deserved from the beginning. (27.)
While the government funded all residential schools, they were mostly run by the church. However, a recent article revealed a quiet battle over $1.6 million dollars the Catholic Church claimed it did not owe the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. As a large portion of the residential schools were catholic, the church was obligated to give 16.6 million dollars a year, which they did not achieve this year. An investigation revealed past payment dates to be erratic and troubled, making the road to recovery even more of a struggle for those affected. (28.)
One well-known instance is the Aboriginal Healing Fund, set up in 1998 with $1.9 million in the form of a compensation fund (22.) out of the 350 million dollar project (23). This helped fund community based healing projects that addressed physical and sexual abuse at the schools. (24.) However, This 350 million dollars was set to only last 5 years rather than support long term, more effective programs. Many organizations closed due to lack of funding, causing greater harm and risk to survivors that had only began their healing journey.
Another flaw this Healing Fund had was that it did not provide for language and culture programs. Re-establishing one's culture and language is the least that can be done, as the purpose of the schools was to dampen these very things in a child -leaving some with no true identity.
After 80 years and $800 million dollars committed to assimilation, the government only spent $350 million in the course of 5 years on healing projects. (25.)
While the government did make some attempts to rejuvenate these programs, just 12 years after it hard started, the Canadian government stopped all funding to the Aboriginal Healing Fund in 2010, instead spending a portion of money for 'Health Canada Government Run Programs'. Though this did provide some support in terms of physical health, it was still far from the work being done in aboriginal communities, run by aboriginal people. (26.)
Another effort Canada made to aid its first nations population was by attending the International Affairs Regarding Indigenous Affairs conference hosted by the UN in 2007. During this meeting, the UN chose to adopt the declaration of rights of indigenous peoples, which set out the individual and collective rights of indigenous people. The declaration highlighted their rights to culture, identity, language, employment, health, and education, all things that were affected by residential schools. It also prohibited discrimination and promoted their full and effective participation and their own choices of economic and social development.
This declaration had 143 of the attending member states vote in favour, with 4 voting against. Shockingly, Canada was one of the four countries that did not agree to giving native people the rights that they should have deserved from the beginning. (27.)
While the government funded all residential schools, they were mostly run by the church. However, a recent article revealed a quiet battle over $1.6 million dollars the Catholic Church claimed it did not owe the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. As a large portion of the residential schools were catholic, the church was obligated to give 16.6 million dollars a year, which they did not achieve this year. An investigation revealed past payment dates to be erratic and troubled, making the road to recovery even more of a struggle for those affected. (28.)