Yesterday, Prime Minister Harper apologized, on behalf of the government of Canada, for the country’s policy of placing native children in special schools to ‘kill the Indian in the child,’ schools in which physical and sexual abuse was rampant.
Like most Canadians, I didn’t know much about these schools other than that they existed and that many native people suffered abuse and a loss of identity and parental links. I was grateful, therefore, when a VoC reader, Karone:rorakwe, shared with me some brief insight into the damage his experience in a residential school had done to his life.
The continuing fall-out of the residential school systems affects us profoundly even today, these many years after the fact. The residential school system was directly responsible for the loss of my marriage and my wife. I can understand the pain, the hurt and frustration of my people and their unseemly conduct. I don’t condone it . . . I just understand it.
As you, I was also a charge of the Hamilton Children’s Aid Society. I too have been through the mix of orphanages and foster homes. I must be a very resilient person for I survived relatively unscathed. A whole person at my advanced age of 63. (some humour there).
Karone:rorakwe to VoC, Mar 04/07
You can read our full exchange of thoughts in “She:kon, Mark” - Karone:rorakwe shares thoughts from DCE with VoC.’
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Categories: 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST · Leadership · MUST SEE · Native Protests - Caledonia
In ‘Brantford takes a stand for democracy in Canada against native threats,’ VoC commented on how Brantford’s lawyer, Neil Smitheman, warned the court not to give in to Ovide Mercredi’s threats of violence because it would mean the end of democracy in Canada. Thankfully, the judge agreed.
Yesterday, Justice Taylor granted the injunction sought by the City of Brantford, ordering that there be no more blockades, threats, intimidation, work stoppages.
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Categories: 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST · Leadership · MUST SEE · Native Protests - Brantford · One Law for All! · Six Nations
UPDATE 1145 EST June 03/08: Jim Anderson advises that the Lion’s sponsored Fish Fry event described below raised $4,000! Thanks to those Lions. Well done. Roaaaarrr!!! Jim says, “The public response to the Wheel to Walk Marathon has been excellent, and we can’t wait until the official send off from Victoria BC on June 10th. “
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I received this message from Jim Anderson who has volunteered to accompany 4 wheelchair athletes and provide tech assistance as they cross Canada to raise money to support ground-breaking spinal cord regeneration research by McMaster University that shows great promise in being able to help some people with spinal cord injuries walk – possibly within 5 years!
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Categories: Courage & Sacrifice · Leadership · MUST SEE · Technology and Software · Wheel to Walk Marathon
Yesterday, Prime Minister Harper apologized, on behalf of the government of Canada, for the country’s policy of placing native children in special schools to ‘kill the Indian in the child,’ schools in which physical and sexual abuse was rampant.
