Canada's native people get a formal apology

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Tom Hanson / Associated Press
Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine shakes hands with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Fontaine was one of the first to come forward with his story of abuse and push for an apology. "Finally, we heard Canada say it is sorry," he remarked on the floor of the House of Commons following Harper's plea for forgiveness.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper makes a declaration of national regret for forced assimilations that 'caused great harm.'
By Christopher Guly and Maggie Farley, Special to The Times
June 12, 2008
OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized Wednesday to the nation's native people for "a sad chapter in our history," acknowledging the physical abuses and cultural damage they suffered during a century of forced assimilation at residential schools.

"Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country," he said to applause.



Text of Canada's apology to native peoples
Canada to apologize to native students
A group of 11 aboriginal leaders and former residential school students sat before Harper in a circle in the House of Commons, some weeping as the prime minister delivered the government's first formal apology to them.

In the crowded, expectant chamber, Harper bowed his head as he read a carefully crafted speech, asking for forgiveness for separating children from their families and cultures, exposing the students to abuse, and sowing the seeds for generations of problems.

Over more than a century, about 150,000 native Canadian children were sent to boarding schools run by churches and the government to "civilize and Christianize" them.

Expressions of native heritage were outlawed. Many children suffered sexual and psychological abuse and grew up with neither traditional roots nor mainstream footing, their ties to family and community unraveled.

"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," Harper said.

The apology was billed by the government as a chance to redress a dark chapter in Canadian history and to move forward in reconciliation.

But the hours before the landmark statement were marked by wrangling over whether native leaders were adequately consulted about the content, and anger that they would not be allowed to respond in the House of Commons. Just before Harper's speech, opposition leaders led a successful motion to allow aboriginal representatives to reply in the chamber.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine, wearing a feather headdress, took the floor to declare that the occasion "testifies nothing less than the accomplishment of the impossible." In 1990, he was one of the first to come forward with his story of abuse and push for an apology.

"For the generation that will follow us, we bear witness today. . . . Never again will this House consider us the Indian problem just for being who we are," he said, as tribal members cheered and beat a drum in the gallery. "Finally, we heard Canada say it is sorry."

Some survivors, as the former schoolchildren are widely called, said the apology came only grudgingly under intense pressure from native groups, and must be matched by action. But it is widely recognized as a significant step for a government that had previously sought to limit its responsibility for the harm caused by its assimilation policy.

Several churches offered apologies in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the government's head of Indian and Northern Affairs made a statement of reconciliation in 1998. A lawsuit settled in 2006 created a $1.9-billion compensation fund, and an independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission was launched June 1.

But Wednesday's statement is the government's first formal expression of responsibility and remorse for the forced assimilation program.

Elijah Harper, 49, a Cree leader from Manitoba, said the prime minister's speech allowed his people to embark on the road of reconciliation.

"From a spiritual point of view, what he has done is release the bonds that have held us from being able to forgive," Harper said.

Analysts say that the next step for the government is to settle outstanding land claims with aboriginal groups, and to refocus policies to alleviate poverty and improve education among First Nations.

"Even if you solved this, there are a number of issues still facing aboriginal people," said James Miller, a University of Saskatchewan expert on the residential schools.

An editorial in Toronto's National Post newspaper offered one of the few voices defending any part of the residential school system.

"Being honest with history also means acknowledging that the residential schools did provide the education and training that opened new horizons to their graduates," it said. "Many students were saved from serious childhood illnesses, or even death, because of their access to health care. To recognize what was wrong does not require ignoring what was right."

But for most of the former residential school students, the focus will be on fixing those wrongs.

Many former students gathered across the country, and at Ottawa's House of Commons, where television screens were set up on the lawn for the crowds.

Counselors were mobilized to help people deal with emotional memories triggered by the event.

Geraldine Maness-Robertson, 72, a Chippewa from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, said her six years at an Anglican school were a "horrific experience," and her hands were often whipped with a razor strap to break her spirit.

"When I left, I was so full of rage and anger and hatred," she said. "Today's apology was so helpful, it hit all the areas of hurt. I have spent my whole life reconciling, and I turned a page today."

Canada got it right, said Sammy Toineeta, a founder of the Boarding School Healing Project, a national coalition seeking justice for similar abuses and loss of culture in Native American boarding schools in the United States.

"An apology does not carry much weight unless there is something behind it. In Canada, they got a certain amount of land and money, and then the apology," said Toineeta, a Lakota who attended a boarding school in Rosebud, S.D. "That's the way to do it. Action first and then words."

maggie.farley@latimes.com

Special correspondent Guly reported from Ottawa and Times staff writer Farley from New York.

Text of Canadas Apology

Canada to Apologize to Native Students

HawK: Thanks for the info on the Canada apology. Perhaps now the United States will do the same . I think the apology from the U.S. should be delivered from Mt. Rushmore. This and the native flute activity on this portal I believe are part of a huge healing that is taking hold. peace....harpo

Hello Harpo,

I agree that there is healing going on and that actions such as this one by Canada is an imprtant part of it. I too believe that the flute (in it's many form's) as well as other "Music's" have a role to play.

Kind of off topic... I noticed on your profile page that you are a plant enthusiast. I love plants and in fact have a house full.
My neighbor was the head orchidist for Longwood Gardens in NJ. He has given me quite a few orchids most of which are very unusual. My thumb is not as green as his so I lost about 15 of the 40 he gave me. The rest are holdong their own. No flowers yet.

Does your screen name imply that you play harp? Harpo from the Marx brothers was a talented harpist.
I have a wonderful 36 string harp made by Dusty Strings. It was a gift for my 45th b'day. Family friends and community folks along with the people at Dusty Strings conspired to make the gift.
Anyway I have strayed from the topic but it is nice to share info about each other...

Hey, Hawk? How hard is that harp to play? I've always wanted one.

Hi Jan,

I have to admit that it is one of the easiest instruments to play. Just put your fingers on the strings and pluck away...ok I am kidding a little. I think it really depends on what you want to do with it.
If your interest is to read and play music someone else has composed then I would say it can be a little daunting at first. Once you get familiar with the physical nature of the harp and the techniques required to let it's voice sing it gets easier.

My interest is to use the harp to articulate what I feel rather than playing music someone else has created...still requires developing a relationship with it. Really no different than the flute.

I bet you could do it with no problem.

One of the nice things about it is there are no squeaks and squawks...no matter what you play it sounds beautiful!!:)

I now have an oboe (nice handmade one) and this drives my cats wild and wilts my house plants...quite a bit different than the harp.

Uh oh. Sounds like I might be looking into getting a harp!!

I have a thumb piano that sometimes has a harpish sound.

There's a science museum right down the road from me that we've taken the school kids on fields trips to. They have an air harp. I love that thing! It is a wooden frame with currents of air being the strings. Don't know exactly how it works, but it's great. Don't think I'll have a chance to get one of those, so I might as well go for one with strings!

I swear! I've bought more instruments since joining this forum! Let's see flutes, ocarina, thumb piano, tranverse flute, and sax.

I love this place!

Amen!

Hey All:

I got word that the U.S. is looking into a formal apology. A Senator from Kansas is playing a key role. peace....4 winds

Interesting.. i live in kansas. do you know what senator it is? Brownback or... can't think of the other right now. it would be a step in the right direction, but superficial i would think. they could start by living up to the treaties they signed, give back the Black Hills.

I really appreciate your replies to this post!

I also want to say (should have done so with the original) that I posted this info strictly for information not to enter into debate about it. I chose this forum (agree to disagree) because it did not seem to fit anywhere else.

I was not aware of that a US apology was introduced or being considered. Thank you 4winds for the info. A quick searc on line led me to this. Is it what you have heard winds?





Cole seeks apology by United States to Native Americans

Rep. Tom Cole, a Chickasaw Indian, is pushing for an apology from Congress to Native Americans on behalf of the United States for centuries of mistreatment.

Cole offered his proposed apology as an amendment to H.R. 1328, the "Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2007." That multibillion-dollar proposal, introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and 57 other members, has not been scheduled for a vote yet.

I will reprint the entire amendment here because it's a fascinating, and noteworthy, proposal. I will point out that Cole specifically states that nothing in the amendment authorizes reparations to Native Americans from the U.S. government.

This is the full text of Cole's amendment:

TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. APOLOGY TO NATIVE PEOPLES OF UNITED STATES.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

(1) the ancestors of today's Native Peoples inhabited the land of the present-day United States since time immemorial and for thousands of years before the arrival of people of European descent;

(2) for millennia, Native Peoples have honored, protected, and stewarded this land we cherish;

(3) Native Peoples are spiritual people with a deep and abiding belief in the Creator, and for millennia Native Peoples have maintained a powerful spiritual connection to this land, as evidenced by their customs and legends;

(4) the arrival of Europeans in North America opened a new chapter in the history of Native Peoples;

(5) while establishment of permanent European settlements in North America did stir conflict with nearby Indian tribes, peaceful and mutually beneficial interactions also took place;

(6) the foundational English settlements in Jamestown, Virginia, and Plymouth, Massachusetts, owed their survival in large measure to the compassion and aid of Native Peoples in the vicinities of the settlements;

(7) in the infancy of the United States, the founders of the Republic expressed their desire for a just relationship with the Indian tribes, as evidenced by the Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress in 1787, which begins with the phrase, ``The utmost good faith shall always be observed toward the Indians'';



(8) Indian tribes provided great assistance to the fledgling Republic as it strengthened and grew, including invaluable help to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their epic journey from St. Louis, Missouri, to the Pacific Coast;

(9) Native Peoples and non-Native settlers engaged in numerous armed conflicts in which unfortunately, both took innocent lives, including those of women and children;

(10) the Federal Government violated many of the treaties ratified by Congress and other diplomatic agreements with Indian tribes;

(11) the United States forced Indian tribes and their citizens to move away from their traditional homelands and onto federally established and controlled reservations, in accordance with such Acts as the Act of May 28, 1830 (4 Stat. 411, chapter 148) (commonly known as the ``Indian Removal Act'');

(12) many Native Peoples suffered and perished--

(A) during the execution of the official Federal Government policy of forced removal, including the infamous Trail of Tears and Long Walk;

( during bloody armed confrontations and massacres, such as the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 and the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890; and

© on numerous Indian reservations;

13) the Federal Government condemned the traditions, beliefs, and customs of Native Peoples and endeavored to assimilate them by such policies as the redistribution of land under the Act of February 8, 1887 (25 U.S.C. 331; 24 Stat. 388, chapter 119) (commonly known as the ``General Allotment Act''), and the forcible removal of Native children from their families to faraway boarding schools where their Native practices and languages were degraded and forbidden;

(14) officials of the Federal Government and private United States citizens harmed Native Peoples by the unlawful acquisition of recognized tribal land and the theft of tribal resources and assets from recognized tribal land;

(15) the policies of the Federal Government toward Indian tribes and the breaking of covenants with Indian tribes have contributed to the severe social ills and economic troubles in many Native communities today;

(16) despite the wrongs committed against Native Peoples by the United States, Native Peoples have remained committed to the protection of this great land, as evidenced by the fact that, on a per capita basis, more Native Peoples have served in the United States Armed Forces and placed themselves in harm's way in defense of the United States in every major military conflict than any other ethnic group;

(17) Indian tribes have actively influenced the public life of the United States by continued cooperation with Congress and the Department of the Interior, through the involvement of Native individuals in official Federal Government positions, and by leadership of their own sovereign Indian tribes;

(18) Indian tribes are resilient and determined to preserve, develop, and transmit to future generations their unique cultural identities;

(19) the National Museum of the American Indian was established within the Smithsonian Institution as a living memorial to Native Peoples and their traditions; and

(20) Native Peoples are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and among those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

( Acknowledgment and Apology.--The United States, acting through Congress--

(1) recognizes the special legal and political relationship Indian tribes have with the United States and the solemn covenant with the land we share;

(2) commends and honors Native Peoples for the thousands of years that they have stewarded and protected this land;

(3) recognizes that there have been years of official depredations, ill-conceived policies, and the breaking of covenants by the Federal Government regarding Indian tribes;

(4) apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States;

(5) expresses its regret for the ramifications of former wrongs and its commitment to build on the positive relationships of the past and present to move toward a brighter future where all the people of this land live reconciled as brothers and sisters, and harmoniously steward and protect this land together;

(6) urges the President to acknowledge the wrongs of the United States against Indian tribes in the history of the United States in order to bring healing to this land; and

(7) commends the State governments that have begun reconciliation efforts with recognized Indian tribes located in their boundaries and encourages all State governments similarly to work toward reconciling relationships with Indian tribes within their boundaries.

© Disclaimer.--Nothing in this section--

(1) authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or

(2) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States.

Hello Jiim: Yes ....the story was on NPR with a interview with Senator Brownback ® Kansas. He said he thought an apology from U.S. was forthcoming. Also....there was an offer made in the last days of the Carter years to provide money for the broken treaty concerning the black hills. (1868 Laramie Treaty I believe) That offer was flat out rejected to the best of my memory. peace....flutes.....4 winds.

there's been no word of that around these parts. i'm kind of surprised that Brownback would come up with that, but it doesn't really take much to say "i'm sorry". the Lakota have been offered money many times, 8 billion was the last figure if i remember right, but they would rather have the hills, which are sacred to them. i'm sure most people know about that already. talk, and apologies, are cheap, but it would be a step in the right direction....

JIIM:

He seemed cool about it in the interview. He was going around the U.S. meeting the NA folks and he said he caught a real angry vibe. He flat out said he asked.......what is wrong???? So their were many things said at that point and he somehow felt their pain so to speak.

here's a bit of news on this topic:

by Dan De Luce
Wed Jun 25, 10:07 PM ET



WASHINGTON (AFP) - A judge has hinted he would not award Native Americans the 46 billion dollars they have demanded in a lawsuit charging the US government cheated them out of profits from land held in trust since the 1800s.

After hearing closing arguments that followed a 12-year marathon legal battle, US District Judge James Robertson on Wednesday indicated he was not ready to endorse an amount in the tens of billions of dollars as argued by lawyers representing the Native American plaintiffs.

The judge said he believed what was in dispute was whether the remedy should be in the millions or billions, or "10 digits or nine digits."

Lawyers for the Native Americans said the government had failed to pay out tens of billion dollars in oil, timber, mineral and grazing royalties from lands held in trust by the Department of Interior since 1887.

"Today, 500,000 Native Americans look to Washington with hope," plaintiffs' lawyer William Dorris told the court.

"They are not asking for a handout. They are simply asking for what is theirs."

Judge Robertson said an absence of reliable figures made it difficult to arrive at an equitable amount for the American Indians.

"There is very little hard data on which to base an award that covers 120 years" of collections and disbursements, he said.

Saying he would issue a ruling sometime in August, Robertson asked both legal teams in the meantime to provide more concrete suggestions in writing as to how to calculate an award.

A government lawyer told the court the Native Americans could not support their 46-billion-dollar claim with facts or reliable figures, and said that several hundred million might be owed at most.

The plaintiffs had "failed to provide a credible case" and had relied on an expert witness who used "unfounded assumptions" to come up with estimates employing "selective" data, said government attorney Robert Kirschman.

In an earlier opinion in January at the outset of the trial, the judge said a lack of adequate accounting of trust money did "not mean that a just resolution of this dispute is hopeless."

He wrote that "a remedy must be found for the (Interior) Department's unrepaired, and irreparable, breach of its fiduciary duty over the last century."

Federal courts have previously ruled against the government in related cases, ordering the Interior Department to fix how it managed Indian trust accounts after an audit exposed shoddy bookkeeping.

The origins of the trusts date back to a notorious policy launched in the late 1800s that was designed to assimilate Native Americans and turn them into farmers.

Their land was divided up into individual parcels and held in temporary trust. The policy eventually evolved into a permanent trust, in which Indians were supposed to be paid any royalties from the land.

The lead plaintiff in the case, Elouise Cobell of the Black Foot Indian Tribe in Montana, said US banks would never be allowed under the law to carelessly manage trust accounts the way the government handled the Indians' money over the past century.

And she said the figure put forward in her lawsuit was based on "conservative" estimates, using what government records were available.

"People have not gotten paid," Cobell told AFP. "I think the government is getting a very good deal."

An applogy is nice but means about as much as every treaty the USA ever made. Let them show their sorrow by giving back what they stole and murdered for. That would show true sorrow. other wise it is meaningless.