Text of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's residential schools apology Wednesday: Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian residential schools. The government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly.
You have been working on recovering from this experience for a long time and in a very real sense, we are now joining you on this journey.In moving towards healing, reconciliation and resolution of the sad legacy of Indian residential schools, implementation of the Indian residential schools settlement agreement began on September 19, 2007.The treatment of children in Indian residential schools is a sad chapter in our history.It has taken extraordinary courage for the thousands of survivors that have come forward to speak publicly about the abuse they suffered.God bless all of you and God bless our land.Years of work by survivors, communities, and aboriginal organizations culminated in an agreement that gives us a new beginning and an opportunity to move forward together in partnership.Mr. Text of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's residential schools apology Wednesday: Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian residential schools. The burden is properly ours as a government, and as a country.The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian residential schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on aboriginal culture, heritage and language.Not only did you suffer these abuses as children, but as you became parents, you were powerless to protect your own children from suffering the same experience, and for this we are sorry.Many were inadequately fed, clothed and housed. indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, "to kill the Indian in the child." Regrettably, many former students are not with us today and died never having received a full apology from the government of Canada.There is no place in Canada for the attitudes that inspired the Indian residential schools system to ever again prevail.The government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly. Though the last residential school in Canada closed in 1996, the system had been in decline since the 1970s. That means:In moving towards healing, reconciliation and resolution of the sad legacy of Indian residential schools, implementation of the Indian residential schools settlement agreement began on September 19, 2007.Therefore, on behalf of the government of Canada and all Canadians, I stand before you, in this chamber so central to our life as a country, to apologize to aboriginal peoples for Canada's role in the Indian residential schools system.To the approximately 80,000 living former students, and all family members and communities, the government of Canada now recognizes that it was wrong to forcibly remove children from their homes and we apologize for having done this.Two primary objectives of the residential schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture.The treatment of children in Indian residential schools is a sad chapter in our history.It is a testament to their resilience as individuals and to the strength of their cultures. Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.per week for the first 24 weeks Before its work got under way, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a public apology on June 11, 2008, on behalf of the Canadian government. the burden is properly ours as a government, and as a country.The government recognizes that the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation.Years of work by survivors, communities, and aboriginal organizations culminated in an agreement that gives us a new beginning and an opportunity to move forward together in partnership.Many were inadequately fed, clothed and housed. Prime Minister Stephen Harper Apology to Former Students of Indian Residential Schools delivered 11 June 2008, Ottawa, Canada The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian Residential Schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on Aboriginal culture, heritage, and language.