Schools cultural genocide: Manitobans

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This article was published 06/07/2015 (3785 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A majority of Manitobans says the residential school system was an act of cultural genocide on the part of Canada, a recent poll shows.

In an exclusive poll for the Winnipeg Free Press, Probe Research found 64 per cent of Manitoba adults, or nearly two in three, agree Canada committed cultural genocide when it put First Nations children in residential schools.

Of those Manitobans, 33 per cent strongly agree and 31 per cent moderately agree Canada is guilty of committing cultural genocide.

The poll found 27 per cent disagreed the residential school system was an act of cultural genocide, while 10 per cent were unsure or didn’t respond.

But opinions are split as to whether the federal government has done enough to address the negative legacy of residential schools.

James Wilson, treaty commissioner of the Treaty Relations Commission of Canada, said he’s pleased to hear Manitobans are still talking about the issue.

“The fact that we are having a dialogue about whether to use the term ‘cultural genocide’ shows how far we have come,” Wilson said.

“This would not have been on anyone’s radar even five years ago. This debate, whether you are for or against the term, is a result of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights being in our midst.”

Curtis Brown, Probe’s vice-president, said they were curious about the outcome of the poll.

“‘Genocide’ is a very strong and specific term,” Brown said.

“The context is usually used with many atrocities, including the Holocaust, the Armenians and others. The word ‘cultural’ softens it, but it is somewhat controversial.

“It was something you wondered if Manitobans would define it this way, and they do.”

Last month, following six years of hearings and study, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a report making 94 recommendations to help fix the relationship between Canada and its aboriginal people.

During the report’s release, Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Murray Sinclair, who headed the commission, said the Canadian government’s residential school policies were “a systematic and concerted attempt to extinguish the spirit of aboriginal peoples.”

“Today I stand before you and acknowledge that what took place in residential schools amounts to nothing short of cultural genocide.”

Sinclair, and the TRC’s two other commissioners, recommended the Pope visit Canada within the next year to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools and the federal government hold an inquiry into murdered and missing aboriginal women.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper indicated at the time it is unlikely the federal government will respond to the recommendations until after the federal election in October.

‘The fact that we are having a dialogue about whether to use the term “cultural genocide” shows how far we have come’

— James Wilson, treaty commissioner of the Treaty Relations Commission of Canada

As well, Harper stopped short of calling it “cultural genocide,” instead calling it “forced assimilation.”

Premier Greg Selinger has already said his government is working toward introducing legislation in the fall for a new First Nations, Métis and Inuit education policy for teaching the history and culture of aboriginals as well as the significance of treaties.

Brown said at 73 per cent, adults aged 18 to 34 were the group that felt the strongest residential schools were an act of cultural genocide.

Brown said Manitobans aren’t as clear when asked whether Ottawa has done enough to address the negative legacy of residential schools.

While 47 per cent of Manitobans believe the federal government needs to do more to right the wrongs caused by residential schools, 45 per cent say enough has already been done.

“Even though what happened is horrible, they feel the government has done enough to atone for it,” Brown said.

“It is an even split in public opinion. But the people who follow (the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work) closely are less likely to agree the government has done enough.”

The telephone poll of 1,000 Manitoba adults, taken between June 10 and June 27, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent 95 per cent of the time.

 

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca