Genocide Research

Presentation
By Rawan Abou-Taha
Residential Schools
in Canada
 Who was involved in Residential Schools?
Canadian Indigenous
Children
Indigenous children were the
individuals who suffered in
these residential schools. They
experienced physical violence
and long-lasting trauma, and
some of them did not survive.
The ones who did were unable
to recall their identity or
family members.
The Canadian Roman Catholic
Government Church
Residential schools These schools were run by
received backing the Canadian Catholic
Canadian government, Churches, who provided
which also collaborated instructors - nuns and
with churches to enable priests - and catholic
the operation of these education in an effort to
schools. create a new identity for
the children. (Assimilation)
What led to the abuses?
There were many instances where indigenous children would face
abuse in these residential schools, such as:

● Disobedience, not knowing an answer, speaking native

language, using birth name.

And more. These actions often lead to harmful consequences

leaving children with physical scars or emotional abuse trauma.

The reasons which led to these abuses include:

● Racism/cultural bias
● Inadequate supervision from the Canadian government
● Power dynamics
Ultranationalist Policies
● Cultural Assimilation of indigenous children:

Forceful integration of indigenous childrens’ into

Catholicism and European cultural beliefs.

● Colonization of indigenous groups:

Establishing control over indigenous families and

creating colonies.

● Imperialism of Indigenous peoples and their land:

Establishing control over Indigenous peoples and their

territories while washing away their culture.
 Primary Interests of the
Ultranationalist Group
Assimilation and Cultural Homogenization
The primary goals of the Canadian government and the
Catholic Church were to eradicate indigenous cultures and
philosophies and replace them with those that were eucentric
and based on catholic teachings.

Gaining Control Ethnocentrism

They desired to establish
dominance over indigenous
peoples in order to integrate
them, convert them, and
modify their religion so that
catholicism would become the
predominant one.
Due to concepts including
cultural superiority, the
suppression of native rights,
prejudice, a desire for power,
and other factors,
ethnocentrism was a major
contributor.
 Where were the Residential Schools located?
Here are some examples, but there was a total of around 130 residential schools in total.

School Name Closing year Province Establish year # of Students

Kamloops Indian British 500 students,
1978 1890
Residential School Columbia peak in the 1950s.

N/A, but St.Annes’ is

St. Anne’s Indian the most horrific
1976 Ontario 1906 school, with three
Residential School students who ran
away/starved to death.

Shubenacadie
1956 Nova Scotia 1929 Over 1,000+.
Residential School

Alberni Indian British 300 students,

1973 1900
Residential School Columbia 67 died.

Guy Hill Indian

1979 Manitobia 1959 N/A, but 3 died.
Residential School
When did these Residential
schools take place?
From the early 1900s to the 1990s, Residential Schools
remained open. Residential schools started to be shut
down gradually as early as the beginning of the 1960s,
and the final one was closed down in 1996. They have
since continued to be discovered along with proof of
the previous awful conditions and abuse. Early in the
beginning of the nineteenth century, the Canadian
government and churches started to acknowledge that
they were to fault for an educational program that was
designed to "kill the Indian child," both physically and in
terms of culture and traditions.
How were the Residential Schools dealt with?
Shutting them down
Between 1870 and the 1990s, there were Indian residential schools operating
in Canada. In 1996, the final Indian residential school was shut down.

An apology from the government

The Office of the Prime Minister of Canada apologized to former students of
the residential school system on June 11, 2008. The apology was also made by
the prime minister in front of survivors and leaders of the Indigenous
community in the House of Commons.

$100.1 million dollars towards

Indigenous services Canada
The Canadian government pledged $100.1 million through Indigenous
Services Canada to support local strategies for handling historic residential
school buildings on reservations in order to assist communities in coping
with these structures and the distressing memories they represent.
Summary Timeline
1867 The two legislations which allowed
residential schools to happen were
to created: Indian act & British North
1876 America Act.

The first school, Joseph’s

1884 Residential school near
High river Alberta.

All residential schools

were out of business and
2008 Canadian government
issued an apology.