Residential Schools and Another Stat

 

Are you aware that there is a proposal for a new national statutory holiday in Canada? It will commemorate the dark legacy of Residential Schools in this country, a period of a hundred years during which Aboriginal children were taken from their families and lived in boarding schools where culture was expunged and abuse was rampant. It was a program instituted by the federal government but carried out in most situations by Christian denominations. The United Church of Canada participated and while we have apologized and worked toward restitution and reconciliation the work is far from over. 

This holiday would take place either on June 21st, which is Indigenous Peoples Day or September 30th which is Orange Shirt Day.The latter day is named after an orange shirt given to residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad by her grandmother on her first day at St. Joseph's school only to bes taken from her.



There are mixed feelings in Native communities across the county about this announcement.  Some wonder if it is one more example of "window dressing" rather than the real work of truth and reconciliation. Others ask if it will be yet another day off for Canadians with no real significance in terms of pondering the ugly legacy of colonialism. And doesn't is seem cynical when the feds are assuring Canadians that a pipeline will be built in BC despite the objections of some First Nations communities.

We do know that Remembrance Day in not a holiday for many, yet the importance of this occasion has grown in recent decades. So much of this has to do with education and an encouragement to express gratitude to veterans in a tangible way.

It might be helpful if governments began by acting in good faith with Indigenous peoples. And perhaps focusing on education is more important than another day off. If there is a new "stat" it must be accompanied by the resources necessary to acknowledge the past and the present effects of residential schools. It could be a  true"holy day" rather than just another vacation day, and faith communities might be instrumental in setting the tone.

What do you think about this proposal?