Statement of Apology on Behalf of the Government of Canada to Former Students of the Newfoundland and Labrador Residential Schools he treatment of Indigenous children in Children who returned from traumatic the absence of an apology recognizing your equality and respect – a time in our country And this year, as we reflect on 150 years residential schools is a dark and experiences in these schools looked to experiences have impeded healing and when we undervalued Indigenous cultures of Confederation across Canada, we have Tshameful chapter in our country’s history. their families and communities for support reconciliation. We acknowledge the hurt and and traditions and it was wrongly believed an opportunity to pause – to think about By acknowledging the past and educating but, in many cases, found that their own pain this has caused you – and we assure Indigenous languages, spiritual beliefs and the future we want to create, that we must Canadians about the experiences of practices, cultures and traditions had former students that you have not been ways of life were inferior and irrelevant. create, that we will create, together, in the Indigenous children in these schools, we can been eroded by colonialism. It was in this forgotten. Saying that we are sorry today is not enough. coming decades and centuries. ensure that this history is never forgotten. climate that some experienced individual Today, I stand humbly before you, as It will not undo the harm that was done to We have an opportunity to rebuild our At the turn of the twentieth century, the and family dysfunction, leaving a legacy Prime Minister of Canada, to offer a long you. It will not bring back the languages and relationship, based on the recognition of Moravian Mission and the International that took many forms. Afterwards, some overdue apology to former students of the traditions you lost. It will not take away the your rights, respect, cooperation, partnership Grenfell Association established schools experienced grief, poverty, family violence, five residential schools in Newfoundland isolation and vulnerability you felt when and trust. The Newfoundland and Labrador with dormitory residences for Indigenous substance abuse, family and community and Labrador on behalf of the Government separated from your families, communities residential schools settlement is an example children with the support of the province of breakdown, and mental and physical of Canada and all Canadians. I also offer and cultures. And it will not repair the of reconciliation in action, a settlement with Newfoundland and Labrador. Their stated health issues. Unfortunately, many of these an apology to the families, loved ones and hardships you endured in the years that healing and commemoration at its core. purpose was to educate Innu, Inuit, and intergenerational effects of colonialism on followed as you struggled to recover from Indigenous people continue today. communities impacted by these schools We understand that reconciliation between NunatuKavut children from the communities for the painful and sometimes tragic legacy what you experienced in the schools and the Government of Canada and Indigenous of Black Tickle, Cartwright, Davis Inlet, Goose On September 28, 2016, the Supreme Court these schools left behind. move forward with your lives. peoples can be a difficult process and Bay, Hebron, Hopedale, Makkovik, Nain, of Newfoundland and Labrador approved For all of you – we are sincerely sorry – But today we want to tell you that what is ongoing – and we know it doesn’t Northwest River, Nutak, Postville, Rigolet, the negotiated settlement agreed to by the pijâgingilagut – apu ushtutatat. happened in those five schools – at the happen overnight. But it is my hope that Sheshatshiu and other parts of Newfoundland parties to provide compensation to those Lockwood School in Cartwright, the in apologizing today, acknowledging the and Labrador. We now know, however, that who attended the residential schools in To the survivors who experienced the Makkovik Boarding School, the Nain past and asking for your forgiveness, that Indigenous children in these schools were Newfoundland and Labrador and those who indignity of this abuse, neglect, hardship and Boarding School, the St. Anthony Orphanage as a country, we will continue to advance isolated from their communities, families, may have suffered abuse. The agreement discrimination by the individuals, institutions and Boarding School and the Yale School in the journey of reconciliation and healing traditions and cultures. These residential also includes provisions for healing and and system entrusted with your care, we are Northwest River – is not a burden you have together. schools were operated from 1949 until the commemoration activities identified by truly sorry for what you have endured. to carry alone anymore. It is my hope that last school closed in 1980, with the support former students. This settlement was made today you can begin to heal – that you can Former students, families and communities We are sorry for the lack of understanding that were impacted by the Newfoundland of the Canadian government. possible because of the exceptional courage of Indigenous societies and cultures that led finally put your inner child to rest. We share and strength of representative plaintiffs and this burden with you by fully accepting our and Labrador residential schools continue To move forward with reconciliation, we to Indigenous children being sent away from to display incredible strength in the face must understand the role of residential other former students who came forward their homes, families and communities and responsibilities – and our failings – as a and spoke about their experiences. Sadly, government and as a country. of adversity. Your resilience and your schools in our history. We must recognize placed into residential schools. We are sorry perseverance are evident through your the colonial way of thinking that fueled not all are here with us today, having passed for the misguided belief that Indigenous away without being able to hear this apology. All Canadians possess the ability to learn actions every day. By telling the story of these practices. It’s important because it was children could only be properly provided for, from the past and shape the future. This is Newfoundland and Labrador residential there, in these residential schools, that many We honour their spirits – and we cherish cared for, or educated if they were separated their memories. the path to reconciliation. This is the way to schools, we ensure that this history will former students were sorely neglected, while from the influence of their families, heal the relationship between Indigenous never be forgotten. All Canadians have much others were subjected to tragic physical and We heard you when you said that the traditions and cultures. This is a shameful and non-Indigenous people in Canada. to learn from this story and we hope to hear sexual abuse. Many experienced a profound exclusion of Newfoundland and Labrador part of Canada’s history – stemming from Today’s apology follows on the heels of you tell your stories – in your own way and void at the loss of their languages and cultural from Canada’s 2008 Apology to Former a legacy of colonialism, when Indigenous a historic new approach to reconciliation in your own words – as this healing and practices, while others were not properly fed, Students of Indian Residential Schools and people were treated with a profound lack of between Canada and Indigenous peoples. commemoration process unfolds. clothed or housed. Ultimately, every single child was deprived of the love and care of While we cannot forget the history that their parents, families and communities. created these residential schools, we must not allow it to define the future. We call on all Canadians to take part in the next chapter – a time when Indigenous and non-Indigenous people build the future we want together. On behalf of the Government of Canada November 24, 2017 The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada