WHAT CANNOT BE BE OBTAINED BY MORAL RIGHT IS BEING ACHIEVED BY LEGAL RIGHT
2000 - 2003
INDIAN HISTORY Return to INDIAN 1700 - 2000 INDEX
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL ABUSE DOMINATES THE 21st CENTURY
The Christian Churches are taken kicking and screaming to
2000
The Law Commission of Canada recommends that victims of abuse at residential and reforms schools should receive money, therapy, education, apologies and training. The Federal government faces 6,000 claims from former students at Indian residential schools. In Alberta, between 800 and 1,100 people attended the schools and are suing for damages. The schools were funded by the Government and operated by the churches, primarily the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and United Church of Britain.
The census this year records 4 million Americans identified themselves as Native American.
January 7: The Dogrib Agreement-in-Principle is signed to return about 39,000 sq miles of the N.W.T. to the Dogrib Nation.
June: To date the number of Residential School abuse cases settled stands at 300, mostly in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, at a cost of $27 million. The number of pending cases stands at 5,900 (6,200) and could jump to 8,900 (10,000) should seven class-action suits, now pending, be accepted by the courts. It is estimated that 150,000 native youths have attended residential schools run by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and United Churches. The Anglican Church claims they face bankruptcy by 2001 unless the Government intervenes.
July: Roman Catholic Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary admits that “some children in residential schools suffered physical and sexual abuse”, and that “The schools also contributed to the diminishment of language, cultures and communities. Even today these factors contribute to continuing harm in aboriginal communities.” He said that the individuals who suffered at residential schools have the right to seek compensation.
September 22: Barry Hollowell, the bishop of the Anglican Church in Calgary, claims the church is not responsible (legal or otherwise) for abuses at native residential schools.
November: The Anglican Bishop Jim Cruickshank of Northern B.C.’s Cariboo Diocese has declared bankruptcy for the sins of its past. The Church has admitted that abuse took place over the past 130 years in the Indian Residential schools, and the courts say they are financially liable. Hundreds and hundreds of little children were abused, and the wounds go deep. It’s affected their work habits; their drinking habits, and many became abusers themselves. One third of the burials in Lytton, B.C. were suicides. The rest were victims of drug and alcohol abuse.
2001
There are 983,090 aboriginal Canadians reported this year:
638,455 - Indians
298,480 - Metis
46,165 - Inuit
February: The descendents of the Papaschase Indian band filed statement of claim in order to be compensated for the illegal surrendering of their lands south of Edmonton in 1888. The Edmonton reserve was bounded by 122 and 34 Streets, 51 avenue and Ellerslie Road, which is now occupied by thousands of homes and businesses. The Indians claim the government used the power of the Crown to divide and conquer the band.
September 27: The Calgary Catholic Church Diocese, run by Bishop Fred Henry, is attempting, on a technicality, to remove the Diocese from the responsibility of the genocide, practiced during the past 50 years, on the Native Peoples of this Diocese. The Diocese is claiming the residential schools were run by the Grey Nuns and Oblate priests and not the Diocese. Others claim, under canon law, it comes within the Diocese authority. This issue will likely have to go to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Federal Government offers to pay 70% of Aboriginal School victims claims. It is estimated that 105,000 children attended residential school from the 1920's to 1960's, but most are now in their 70's and 80's and don't plan to take legal action. About two hundred claimants have died before receiving redress.
2002
Only 5% of Canadian land is farmed in Canada. It is noteworthy the the English believed for the past 400 years that "The natives were wasting the land by not farming it, so did not deserve to live there." Following this rationalization the British people in Canada should be driven from Canada for wasting the land.
The liquidation of the Christian Brothers of Ireland is consuming the money intended for the victims. The Roman Catholic Church is fighting the sale of assets and has taken the issue to court eight times; all unsuccessful including two successful Supreme Court bids. The victims of the Mount Cashel orphanage abuse say the money is being spent chasing the money.
February: Beverly McLachlin, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, was under the mistaken belief that the First Nation People of Canada had been a conquered People. This appalling lack of history was quickly rebuffed by the First Nation Peoples who stated they were never conquered in Canada.
March: Indian Treaty No. 8 promised tax exemption to the Cree and Dene Nations, according to Federal Court Justice Douglas Campbell. He condemned Canada's surprisingly negative and disrespectful attitude towards this constitutional right. Judge Campbell also lashed out at the Canadian taxpayers federation accusing it of unfairly playing a race card to gain publicity. He said they were ill-informed, misguided and inflammatory.
March: The Oblate Order "The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate", who entered Western Canada in 1845, are named in about 2,500 abuse law suits against Indians with potential liability of $270 million, which will likely bankrupt the order.
September 21: The B.C. Supreme Court approved a 19 million settlement to 90 abused victims of the Mount Cashel orphanage, Newfoundland. Two schools were liquidated and Arthur Anderson received 13.8 million for their role. It was noted the Christian Brothers also paid 5.1 million to the liquidators.
October 27: St. John's Newfoundland the Newfoundland Court of Appeal in August upheld a ruling by the Newfoundland Supreme Court that found Rev. Kevin Bennett b-1934 and the Episcopal Corp. of St. George's liable for numerous acts of sexual abuse on 36 boys. He admitted telling Bishop Richard McGrath in 1879 that he had abused boys, yet he was allowed to continue his ministry until 1989, when he resigned. This made the diocese liable for the abuse and Archbishop Alphonsus Penny guilty of negligent for failing to prevent the abuse, after becoming aware of them in 1979. An appeal was partially successful for the Roman Catholic Church as it cleared Archbishop Alphonsus Penny and Bishop Raymond Lahey on any personal liability. The Roman Catholic Church is appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada. Legal council for the abused boys is disgusted and disappointed in the Churches actions. Recognition, repentance and restitution for sins does not apply to the Church..
November 30: The Federal Government and the Anglican Church of Canada will see the religious group pay up to $25 million to abused native residential schools which is 30% of validated claims. About 90,000 aboriginal children aged 6 and older attended these schools from 1930 to 1996 often against their will and their parents. About 4,500 lawsuits representing 12,000 claimants have been launched since 1998. Besides physical and sexual abuse, generations were stripped of their native language and culture. The government has only agreed to pay for physical and sexual abuse.
December: The Native victims of abuse rejected the Federal Governments limited liability proposal of $1.7 billion compensation with no compensation for cultural genocide. In the 1930's at the peak of the residential schools, which numbered 80 schools, they were ordered to assimilate First Nation People into mainstream society. Over zealous religious teachers applied brutal physical punishment to those who tenaciously held on to their own religious and cultural traditions.
December 13: The Presbyterian Church settled their abused native claims at residential schools to a maximum of $2.1 million or 30% of outstanding claims.
December 17: David Ahenakew former chief of the Assembly of First Nations and member of the Order of Canada, Chairman of the Senate of Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations: said Adolf Hitler was right to fry 6 million Jews to rid the world of a disease. This is a man whose own people were subjected to a form of holocaust for 400 years and is unconscionable.
2002
March 12: The Anglican Church signs a deal for $25 million to settle 12,000 outstanding physical and sexual abuse cases against Indian children. The settlement does not cover cultural genocide and language abuse that the Church had previously admitted. The catch is if they accept the settlement they must sign off on any other future claims against the Church for sins of the past.
INDIAN HISTORY Return to INDIAN 1700 - 1999 INDEX