Says Criminality Can't Be Ignored, As He Names Judge to Lead Hearings on Residential Schools
By Richard Brennan
Toronto Star
April 29, 2008
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/419396
OTTAWAParticipants in long-awaited truth and reconciliation hearings on native residential schools could find themselves being held criminally responsible, Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl says.
Strahl made the comment yesterday after naming Justice Harry LaForme a member of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation the chair of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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| Justice Harry LaForme will head the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick |
"Let's be clear this does not absolve people. This is not a blank slate," he told reporters.
He said finding fault won't be the focus of the three-person, $60 million commission but added that possible criminality can't be ignored as the commission delves into the "sad legacy of Indian residential schools."
"Children were taken from their families, often for months or years at a time, forbidden to speak their native languages, practise their culture or learn from their parents or elders. They learned the way of institutional living, not family and traditional values," Strahl said.
The commission, which arises out of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement, is to be launched June 1 and will be holding hearings across the country.
LaForme, of the Ontario Court of Appeal, said history shows the treatment of native children was a "horrendous" period in Canada's history and that the truth and reconciliation commission will go a long way to healing the emotional wounds still in evidence today among the 90,000 residential school survivors.
"The spirits of the 150,000 aboriginal, Mtis and Inuit children who attended residential schools will be ever present in the heart and soul of the commission. Through their experiences, truth will be made known, healing will begin and sincere reconciliation made possible," he said.
Almost since the Gradual Civilization Act was passed in 1857 right up until the 1970s, successive federal governments tried to assimilate generations of native children by placing them in church-run residential schools, where many suffered physical and sexual abuse.
"Because of this history, tremendous harm has been done to relationships within and between individuals, families, communities, peoples, church and government," LaForme said.
LaForme, 61, is the former chair of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Land Claims and commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario.
"He is considered the most senior aboriginal judge in this country," Strahl said.
So far, $1.3 billion has been paid to the residential school survivors for simply having gone to these schools, with more to come to those who were physically and sexually abused.
Two more commissioners are still to be named to work with LaForme.
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