Residential school system in Canada

Residential school system in Canada
Name	Residential school system in Canada
Caption	Former Portage la Prairie residential school building
Established	19th century–20th century
Closed	20th century–21st century
Location	Canada

Residential school system in Canada was a network of church-run, state-supported boarding institutions intended to assimilate Indigenous children from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities into settler society. Initiatives involved partnerships among the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canada), various Roman Catholic Church orders, the Anglican Church of Canada, the United Church of Canada, and the Presbyterian Church in Canada, with policies shaped by treaties and legislators such as figures associated with the Indian Act (1876) and colonial administrators. The system influenced cultural, legal, and demographic developments across provinces including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.

History

Origins trace to missionary efforts by orders like the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Grey Nuns, and Jesuits during the 19th century in settlements near Fort Chipewyan, Gimli, Manitoba, and Fort Simpson. Key legislative milestones included regulations under the Indian Act (1876), policies advanced by officials linked to Sir John A. Macdonald and administrators responding to events such as the Red River Rebellion and the North-West Rebellion. Expansion accelerated with federal funding in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by debates in the House of Commons of Canada and decisions by Ministers of Indian Affairs. Closure processes began amid advocacy from leaders like Herbert Cardinal, Ellen Gabriel, and organizations including the Assembly of First Nations and Native Women's Association of Canada, culminating in institutional shutdowns through the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Structure and Administration

Administration involved the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canada), religious orders such as the Sisters of St. Anne, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and dioceses like the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Schools included sites such as Kamloops Indian Residential School, Marieval Indian Residential School, Shubenacadie Indian Residential School, and Mohawk Institute Residential School. Funding allocations, oversight, and inspection regimes were debated in bodies like the Senate of Canada and enacted under instruments tied to the Indian Act (1876), with legal frameworks shaped by jurists and cases appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada and provincial courts. Partnerships with institutions such as the Canadian Pacific Railway influenced attendance logistics, while reporting involved officials comparable to those in the Department of Justice (Canada) and commissions like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada).

Attendance and Operations

Compulsory removal and attendance were enforced through policies administered by agents operating under statutes such as provisions in the Indian Act (1876), with policing support at times involving detachments of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Children from communities such as the Cree, Anishinaabe, Mi'kmaq, Saulteaux, Dene, and Inuit regions were enrolled at institutions including St. Anne's Residential School (Fort Albany), Punnichy Indian Residential School, and Chisasibi Boarding School (formerly Fort George). Daily regimens combined religious instruction from clergy, vocational training comparable to apprenticeships, and curriculum influenced by education bureaucracies in provinces like Ontario and Manitoba. Health oversight intersected with institutions such as the Tuberculosis clinics and hospitals like those in Saskatoon; mortality and disease outbreaks raised concerns later investigated by commissions and scholars.

Impacts on Indigenous Communities

Consequences affected family structures among nations including Cree Nation, Nisga'a, Wet'suwet'en, Haida, and Ojibwe; cultural transmission of languages like Cree language, Inuktitut, Michif, Nishnaabemwin, and Gwichʼin language was disrupted. Long-term effects encompassed intergenerational trauma discussed in studies linked to researchers and institutions such as the National Research Council (Canada), inquiries like the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, community leaders including Phil Fontaine and Shirley Bear, and health organizations like the Indigenous Services Canada predecessor agencies. Social outcomes intersected with criminal justice institutions including the Correctional Service of Canada and policymaking in provincial legislatures, while cultural revitalization efforts were led by organizations such as the Indigenous Languages Act proponents and arts initiatives involving the National Film Board of Canada and the Canadian Museum of History.

Apologies, Litigation, and Redress

Litigation included class actions represented by firms in cases leading to settlements administered by adjudicators appointed under frameworks negotiated with entities such as the Government of Canada and religious orders including the Grey Nuns and Oblates. The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement established the Independent Assessment Process and the Common Experience Payment, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada) produced calls to action adopted in discussions within the Parliament of Canada. Formal apologies were issued by Prime Ministers like Stephen Harper and provincial officials, and statements of contrition came from church leaders including the Pope Francis when engaging with delegations. Compensation programs and commemorations involved institutions such as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and provincial archives.

Legacy and Contemporary Issues

Contemporary debates involve reconciliation initiatives within assemblies like the Assembly of First Nations, policy reforms in ministries equivalent to Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and heritage projects at sites including Glenbow Museum and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Memorialization efforts include monuments in Ottawa and community-led healing programs in regions such as Northern Manitoba and Nunavut. Educational curricula in provinces like British Columbia and Ontario now incorporate materials from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada), while ongoing disputes concern records access submitted to institutions such as the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and litigation currently before courts including the Federal Court of Canada. Cultural resurgence is visible in language revitalization initiatives spearheaded by leaders like Hank Nerrida and organizations such as First Peoples' Cultural Council and Indspire, reflecting continued negotiations among Indigenous governments, churches, and state partners.

Category:Indigenous peoples in Canada