From the early 1830s to 1996, thousands of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis children, some as young as four years old, were forced to attend Residential Schools in an attempt to assimilate them into the dominant culture. The mental, physical, and spiritual abuses suffered by these children have had a deep impact, not only on the children themselves, but also on their families and communities. Why is this important to non-Aboriginal Canadians? Why should it matter to a Canadian who never attended a Residential School? It matters because it happened here, in our country, a land considered a world leader in democracy and human rights. It matters because the Residential School System is one of the major causes of poverty, homelessness, substance-abuse, and other forms of violence amongst Aboriginal Canadians. It matters because Aboriginal communities suffer levels of poverty, illness, and illiteracy which one would expect to find in a developing nation. It matters because we share this land. We may not be responsible for what happened in the past, but we are responsible for our actions today. This is why we must all understand what happened in Canada’s Residential Schools. We must see the legacy of the schools in our streets and communities every day. We must all commit ourselves to a process of reconciliation and healing.

Bud Glunz, “Thou Shalt Not Tell Lies.” Cree students attending the Anglican-run Lac la Ronge Mission School in La Ronge, Saskatchewan, 1949. National Film Board of Canada, Library and Archives Canada, PA-134110.