Timeline of Residential Schools

Timeline of Residential Schools

1857 - Gradual Civilization Act

1889

First allegations of abuse

1990 - Today

Attempts to assimilate the First Nations people, the prime objective of the Canadian government at the time, had come with little success. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald then introduced this act to help succeed to this goal. This act stated that it was almost mandatory for Indigenous and Metis Men, aged 21 and over, to read and write in either English or French and have and acquire a government-approved surname, usually a European name. It then awarded the First Nations man 50 acres of land if the First Nations denied any affiliation to Aboriginal groups. This act went to be a miserable failure as many First Nations either did not abide to this act or were no interested in the 50 acres of land.

In Selkirk, Manitoba allegations were made of both physical and sexual abuse at a Residential school.

1892

At this time, 45 residential schools were now in operation. Due to some overcrowding of some of these institutes, disease started to increase within the school.

1610-1620

Formal agreement

The government comes to a formal agreement with the churches, allowing them to operate residential schools.

The first ideas of Residential schools.

1896

Healing

The government funds the Aboriginal Healing Foundation for 350 million dollars over 10 years. The effects on generations of Aboriginal children even today still exist. Practices in the residential schools were passed on the parenting practices of survivors and used on their children. Residential schools have impacted the First Nations greatly. They are still healing and recovering to this day.

1763 - The Royal Proclamation

Around this time when settlers were coming into Canada, missionaries were trying to convert many of the First Nations peoples to Christianity. This phase of the world occurred from 1831 to 1996. These Christian groups included the United, Roman catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian. Due to their goals a French order of Christianity created the First residential school near Quebec.

1831 - Mohawk Institute

1940

1850 -1880 - Assimilation

1969 - The partnership of teaching between churches and residential schools end.

1980 - 12 Residential schools are still in operation. Not including the unofficial ones.

1982 - The rights of Aboriginals peoples are recognized, this includes the Metis, Indian and inuit peoples of Canada.

1986 - Apologies

Some churches formally apologize for the treatment of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

1991 - The Caribou Tribal council publishes ¨The impact of residential schools”

1996 - The Royal Commission

It is an inquiry upon residential schools, and the effects upon generations of residential schools.

For the British, they wanted to expand to the west and needed the appeal to the First Nations people, thus introducing the Royal Proclamation of 1763. It set out rules for expansion to appease Aboriginal people and went to respect the First Nations people with the treaty agreements to be upheld.

The first/oldest residential school that is considered part of the residential school system. The school was commonly referred to as the mush hole because they served mush as nutrients to the children.

After years of loneliness, depression and despair after being separated and ripped away from their cultures, after years of weighing options between running away from residential schools, the government finally begins to integrate Aboriginals into normal schools.

Starting in the 1850s, the Canadian (and American) government enacts assimilation of the First Nations as an official government policy. It was a means to keep them from going “extinct” and to make room for more settlers. The governments solutions was to "Europeanize" them, converting them to Christianity, living a life as farmers, own private property, etc. Making Industrial schools for Native children was one way to reflect this policy, as one, it taught Aboriginal children the European way of life, and two, it was thought that separating these children from their parents was the best way to assimilate them.

1907 - A National crime

Mohawk Institute - Today

The Mohawk Institute today now serves as a historic location shown to teach others about the history of residential schools.

The government deemed the overall hygiene in the residential schools were lacking, the health inspector of the Indian Affairs department stated that what the government was doing was a national crime, there wasn't proper ventilation, food, medical care or clothing.

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1800

1700

1600

1900

2000

1876 - The Indian Act

1920 - Attendance made mandatory

1960

2008 - Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Formal Apology of the Canadian Government

An act that dealt with First Nations, it allowed the government to regulate Aboriginal affairs. First Nations could be registered as “Indian” under this act. The Indian Act was first made and design to go and assimilate the cultures of First Nations, thus later leading to the spread of residential schools in Canada.

• A supposed “aggressive civilization” policy was carried out by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald that went ahead to publicly fund these Residential Schools.
• Today, it was amended many times to further fit the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Duncan Campbell made going to residential schools for indian children from the ages of 7-15 mandatory. He saw this as one of the final solutions to fully civilize and Christianize the indian children and do as John. A Macdonald said, ¨Kill the indian in the child.”

1890-1900 - 73 schools in operation.

1844-1850 - Bagot Commission

The government and the church wanted to keep the cost of residential schools at a minimum, this led to a lack of food, clothing and proper programming. By the end the 1800s 73 of these residential schools were now built and run.

The Canadian government chooses to authorize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This commission was made to document the truth of the treatment of First Nations people and inform Canadians of this information.

In the same year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and all of the Canadian Government states their apology in the House of Commons to all former students of residential schools, and apologizes to all people, families and communities who were affected by these acts, for the government’s involvement, and for the failure of the government to protect Natives people.

After people questioning what was being taught at the schools, survivors speaking out to the public of the horrors in residential schools, how the children are broken. Indian affairs regional inspectors recommended to close residential schools. 60 residential schools were still in operation around this time.

1780-1820 - Education

This was an idea established under the idea of tackling the Aboriginal problem. The Bagot Commission was in charge of affairs with the First Nations people too, they compensated with the Aboriginals and taught them their farming methods. The commission then introduced their Education to them. Later in the 1850s, the commission, and under the government of Canada, had a motive to assimilate. To do this, they thought that the best way to achieve assimilation of the First Nations was to separate Aboriginal children from their parents, thus sending them to residential schools. They also thought the the Mohawk institute was to act as a “role model” for other residential schools.

1883 - The Authorization of Residential Schools

• Sir John A. Macdonald authorizes the creation of Residential schools in the Western part of Canada, with the recommendations of the Davin Report from 1879.
• Canada then starts work on the creation of Residential Schools in 1884. These schools were to be funded and operated by the Canadian Government and many Religious organizations.

The main goal of both Aboriginals and government leaders of Canada and Britain was education. Some leaders negotiated with religious groups and the government to provide education to their children. Leaders in Upper Canada negotiated with the Methodist church and other churches to raise funds to build schools. There was also people like Chief Shingwauk, he also supported the Anglican church to help educate aboriginals with teachings of the Aboriginal people and non-aboriginals.

1867 - The Constitutional Act and Federal Responsibility.

At this time, the Confederation of the Dominion of Canada takes place. First Nations and their lands were then made a federal responsibility to the point were First Nations were treated like children.