1. An Attempt to Assimilate Aboriginal People and Culture
Residential Schools
An Attempt to Assimilate Aboriginal People and Culture

2. Who did it Impact?
Around 150,000 Aboriginal children were sent to Residential Schools against their will

3. Why did this Happen?
The objective was to assimilate Aboriginals into mainstream society

4. What happened in Residential Schools?
Children were taught Christian values and either English or French
Their own language and culture was forbidden within the school

5. Assimilation

6. Children were away from their parents for 10 to 12 months of the year
Often communication between the families during the school year did not occur or was forbidden

7. School Conditions Substandard conditions Poor nutrition
Inadequate sleeping arrangements
Little healthcare
Physical, emotional and spiritual abuse

8. Some children never returned home, due to disease that spread rapidly amongst the schools

9. A day in the life of a student
Get up early (6 am)
• Clean and do daily chores
• Get in line stay in line
• Go to the Chapel
- Go to school to learn the 3 R’s
• Beaten if you acted, thought,
or spoke Indian

10. Attempts to Reconcile the Past
The Last Residential School closed in Yellowknife 1996
In 2005 the federal government offered
a compensation package for former
students of Residential Schools
On June 11, 2008
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
offered an official apology

11. Lasting Negative Impacts
Many Aboriginal families continue to deal with the physical, emotional and spiritual turmoil they encountered in Residential Schools
Question:
Does financial compensation make up for the turmoil placed on Aboriginal people?