La Fondation autochtone de l'espoir applaudit les excuses du gouvernement de la Saskatchewan aux survivants pour leur participation à la rafle des années 60

(Ottawa, ON) January 11, 2019 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) was heartened to hear that Premier Scott Moe made a formal apology to Survivors of the Sixties Scoop in Saskatchewan earlier this week.

“January 7, 2019 will go down in history as the Premier has issued an Apology to all the Survivors of the Sixties Scoop in Saskatchewan. The Apology is long overdue and is only the first step in moving Reconciliation forward for all the Indigenous Peoples in Saskatchewan, and across Turtle Island,” said Adam North Peigan, Board Member of the LHF and President of the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta.

Between the early 1950s to the late 1980s, thousands of Indigenous children were “scooped up” and taken away by the State from their families and communities and placed into foster or adoptive non-Indigenous homes, usually far away from all of their relatives. This practice which is commonly referred to as the “Sixties Scoop” resulted in the loss of Indigenous culture, history, identity, language, and for many led to loneliness, low self-worth, lack of identity, mental health issues, addictions, suicide, homelessness, incarceration and poor health outcomes.

“Although an Apology is symbolic and may often be required by law as part of a Settlement Agreement, my hope is that it will lead to positive commitments and concrete actions that do make a difference in the lives of those impacted,” said Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel at the LHF.

She continued, “The Millennium Scoop is a term used to describe the many children who continue to be apprehended by the Child Welfare System for reasons linked to poverty, racism and the imposition of another’s values on Indigenous Peoples. Governments need to ensure that we have learned from past mistakes and that we work together to prevent future crises from happening.”

La LHF applaudit les efforts déployés aujourd'hui par le gouvernement de la Saskatchewan pour réparer les torts et démontrer son engagement envers la réconciliation et espère que d'autres gouvernements suivront ses traces.

À propos de la Fondation Héritage de l'espoir :

La Fondation Legacy of Hope (LHF) est une organisation caritative autochtone nationale dont les objectifs sont d'éduquer, de sensibiliser et de comprendre les impacts des pensionnats indiens, y compris la rafle des années 60 et les dommages intergénérationnels causés aux Premières Nations, aux Inuits et aux Métis, et pour soutenir le processus de guérison en cours des Survivants. L'accomplissement de ce mandat contribue à la réconciliation entre les générations d'Autochtones et de non-Autochtones au Canada.

Coordonnées des médias :

Teresa Edwards

Directrice générale et conseillère juridique interne

Fondation autochtone de l’espoir

Courriel : tedwards@legacyofhope.ca Tél. : 613 237-4806, poste 303

Courriel : tedwards@legacyofhope.ca