Canadian Residential Schools (jan 1, 1876 – jan 1, 1996)

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Canadian residential schools were church-run institutions established by the government to assimilate Indigenous children by removing them from their families, communities, and cultural heritage. These schools existed across Canada, with the exception of Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick. Their purpose was to acclimate Indigenous children to European ways of life. Tragically, tens of thousands of children died due to the harsh living conditions in these environments.

The Canadian government legally mandated these schools following the Indian Act of 1876, which granted the government control over the lives of Indigenous communities. Attendance at these residential schools was compulsory for all Indigenous children, and there were severe penalties for those who resisted. Within these schools, students were taught Christian religious beliefs, which stripped them of their Indigenous heritage.

Conditions at the schools were often torturous: they were unsanitary and overcrowded, with children facing neglect, harsh discipline, and malnutrition. Many were also punished for speaking their native languages.

Although the government ceased operating residential schools by the 1970s, the last one, Gordon's Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, remained open until 1996. In 2008, the Canadian government issued a formal apology on behalf of the nation, providing financial compensation to families affected by the residential school system and establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

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