Photo by Whitehorse Star
Premier Darrell Pasloski and NDP Leader Liz Hanson
Leaders respond to watershed report’s release
The Yukon’s premier and official Opposition leaders have issued statements marking today’s historic release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report in Ottawa.
The Yukon’s premier and official Opposition leaders have issued statements marking today’s historic release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report in Ottawa.
“This is an important and difficult day for all Canadians as we receive the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” said Premier Darrell Pasloski.
“The report has taken many years to compile and represents the difficult work on the part of witnesses of revealing deeply personal and painful stories.
“As Canadians, it is important that we fully come to terms with the magnitude of the effects that residential schools had upon individual aboriginal Canadians and upon the aboriginal community as a whole. There is no question that the schools aimed to erase First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural and linguistic identity.
“The effects were not only devastating to the individual children taken for schooling, but also to their parents and communities.”
The effects did not end there, Pasloski noted.
“The schools have left deep and profound scarring, and their legacy has reverberated through generations.
“We are thankful to those survivors – including many Yukoners – who, at risk to their own psychological and spiritual well-being, offered their statements and stories to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“I encourage all Yukoners to take the time to understand the commission’s report and to reflect upon its meaning.
NDP Leader Liz Hanson called the report “a landmark moment in the history of aboriginal Canadians.
“I sincerely hope that all Yukoners, just like all Canadians, will be able to learn from the commission’s work – and ensure that our governments take concrete and meaningful action to implement its 94 recommendations.
“It is, as it has always been, up to us as citizens to recognize that residential schools, and the broader political objective of ‘assimilation’, tried to erase First Nations cultures from Canadian communities.
“The consequences of Canada’s deliberate attempt to destroy First Nations cultures is still a significant factor in modern relationships.
“As non-aboriginal Canadians, we must all acknowledge this fact so that we can participate in the meaningful, long-term healing that First Nations, Inuit and Métis deserve.”
In today’s Canada, Hanson added, “our relationship with First Nation governments is broken. Deliberate government attempts to undermine First Nations rights are eroding opportunities for nation-to-nation relationships.
“In Yukon, our ground-breaking work on modern treaties is a strong foundation that must be protected and built upon.
“We can, and must, do better if we want to build a mutually respectful and beneficial relationship between our communities.”
See local coverage of the report’s release.
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Comments (7)
Up 16 Down 3
Groucho d'North on Jun 6, 2015 at 9:05 am
A dark time in Canada’s history to be sure, but a number of issues are still emerging from this report.
Who is responsible for the actions of our forefathers, and for how long? Money does not appear to resolve any of these issues and perhaps that is not the appropriate pound of flesh for the injustices delivered in the residential schools. A few years ago (2008) some in the native leadership said an apology was sufficient and would begin the healing process, now we hear that more financial compensation is required after the Prime Minister made the apology.
Some will use this report to wallow in their pain and suffering, while others will use it to justify any number of political positions in the future. "Your ancestors did this to us so you are accountable." Others I hope will use the report to mark the end of this distasteful history lesson and begin to build a bright future for us all.
I think there is too much focus on the past where elders and even younger generations regurgitate the terrible things that happened to their family members in the schools, become more traumatized and dysfunctional as a result, which only perpetuates the bad feelings and anger.
I would like to see more dialog about achieving a future where there is true equality and we all are first identified as Canadians, and we work collaboratively to making our society healthy, respectful and strong. Before that can happen, I believe that racism on both sides of the debate needs to be put aside and we create a more inclusive and successful nation where all can achieve their dreams and ambitions.
We are at a fork in the road- which way do we go from here? Continue to lament about the past, or build a better tomorrow?
Up 8 Down 15
northern wonder on Jun 4, 2015 at 1:46 pm
@Hmm - what are the right words then? especially when Ken Hodgins says it was an "EFFORT at cultural genocide". For some in power, it was - Duncan Campbell Scott, the Superintendent of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada quoted as saying "I want to get rid of the Indian problem" and then made it compulsory for Indians to attend residential schools (1920).
The residential schools operated under the philosophy of "killing the Indian to save the child". This sure sounds like an EFFORT cultural genocide to me? Do the words not work for you because it was over an elongated period of time - 1870's to 1996? Look forward to hearing back.
Up 36 Down 17
Hmm on Jun 3, 2015 at 8:15 pm
@kenhodgkins, for the record everyone I speak to agrees the words cultural genocide are not the right words. While no ones dismisses the severity of the actions of some from the past most us disagree with the language used to describe this chapter in our history.
Up 79 Down 23
ProScience Greenie on Jun 3, 2015 at 11:12 am
Shame on Hansen for using this important event to take political swipes at her opponents. Especially so as she was a former INAC big shot, a department that was more a part of the problem than the solution to these troubles that so many are now trying to heal from. The more I hear from Liz and crew the more I miss the Penikett and McDonald NDP.
Up 52 Down 60
June Jackson on Jun 3, 2015 at 10:34 am
The Truth and Reconciliation movement began in South Africa with Nelson Mandela. I read the reports from Australia and Peru some time ago, and last night got through some of the Canadian report. I am not sure I understand what anyone is trying to reconcile with. The report tells us what happened. It tells of consequences. It tells of what FN wants now. But it doesn't, and neither do the others talk about 'reconciliation'. Reconcile to what? They talk about an end goal, to be healed, but indicate that will be...never. We have the truth, what is reconciliation?
This report cost 60 million dollars and 1.9 BILLION dollars in direct compensation payments of which 1.6 BILLION was spent with .3 going to Band projects that are related to T & C. That is a lot of money for 26.1 million taxpayers to come up with.
Many of the recommendations are, in the Yukon anyway, societal problems already being addressed through FN programs and self government and YTG.
There have been 59 studies on missing and murdered aboriginal women.
http://www.ammsa.com/content/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-girls
Maybe when they change the name to an Inquiry for ALL missing and murdered women I will support an inquiry. No one life is more important than another. Each life has value and each loss is a tragedy. No matter what color their skin is..death is blind and someone is mourning everyone of those losses.
All this being said..I do not take any personal responsibility for residential schools or anything that happened in them. I also do not take any personal responsibility for Auschwitz. But, I do take responsibility as part of society for the consequences identified as being a direct result of residential school trauma. It will be hard to work with this as the country is split into racial groups, with FN having their own government. In that context, it's not people working and caring about other people, but government working with government, and governments don't care about anyone.
As usual, I speak only for myself. I do hope that someone replies and talks about reconciliation.
Up 22 Down 49
Ken Hodgins on Jun 2, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Why did Pasloski refuse to agree that this was an effort at cultural genocide? Asked at least twice by reporters to do so, he refused and mumbled nonsense about there being different words. On an historic day where the Commissioners named it for what it was and did so forcefully, our guy decides it is a good time to pretend they need a lesson in proper language.
Up 64 Down 28
Liz Hanson has to bright politics into a dark day in Canad's history on Jun 2, 2015 at 4:18 pm
What planet are you from Ms. Hanson? A lot of First Nation don't want their very bad situation and condition's made into a political game as you have done in your comments.
This is the low of low a politician can go.