CANADA
Lethbridge Herald
BY LETHBRIDGE HERALD OPINON ON APRIL 2, 2014.
Four years of public hearings have come to an end.
Sunday in Edmonton, the commission tasked with exploring the history of Canada’s residential schools system, and its impact on the county’s aboriginal population, wrapped up its work.
In all, thousands of victims shared their experiences, as stories of the cruelty and abuse were captured on video. It created a video history of what will go down as one of Canada’s biggest blunders, a dark chapter in our history.
For some, including many here in southern Alberta, the opportunity to have their story heard was only one part of the process. Many have commented over the years how it was all part of the healing process while for others, it simply brought back memories they likely wished to keep buried.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission made visits to over 300 communities, and started in Winnipeg back in June of 2010. Since then, about 6,500 statements were collected, as survivors spoke about what they went through during their time in residential schools.
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