ALIGN’s 15 Things You Should Know About Residential Schools In Honour of National Truth & Reconciliation Day

ALIGN 15 Things You Should Know Residential Schools

Sept. 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Honouring the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

“When the school is on the reserve, the child lives with his parents who are savages; he is surrounded by savages, and though he may learn to read and write, his habits and training and mode of thought are Indian. He is simply a savage who can read and write.”

Prime Minister Sir John A Macdonald

Canadians bettering their understanding of the true history and impact of residential schools is essential.

Take this quick quiz and learn more! Hover over each card below and it will flip to give you the answer and some related facts.

The Gradual Civilization Act to assimilate Indigenous people passed in?

1896 1912 1857

ANSWER - 1857

The Indian Act came to be developed over time through separate pieces of colonial legislation regarding Aboriginal peoples across Canada such as the Gradual Civilization Act of 1857. In 1876, these acts were consolidated as the Indian Act.
Source

What year did it become mandatory for every Indigenous child to attend a residential school?

1920 1889 1880

Answer 1920 Under the Indian Act

1920, under the Indian Act, it became mandatory for every Indigenous child to attend a residential school and illegal for them to attend any other educational institution
Source

How many First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were forced to attend church-run, government-funded schools?

85,000 500,000 150,000

ANSWER 150,000

More than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were forced to attend church-run, government-funded schools
Source

Federal Indian Day Schools came in to being..

Before Residential Schools, After Residential Schools

ANSWER Before Residential Schools

Federal Indian Day Schools existed before residential schools. It’s estimated that there were over 700 day schools across Canada.
Source

Who was the architect of the residential school system?

John A. Macdonald, Duncan Campbell Scott, The Catholic Church

ANSWER John A. Macdonald

Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald was the architect of the residential school system. It was the government’s effort to settle what is now Western Canada, along with signed treaties and policies that aimed at removing Indigenous people from their land and opening up western territories to non-Indigenous settlers
Source

Some of the largest residential schools had how many children in attendance?

200 500 300

Answer 500 (or more)

The expansion of these schools to the West created significant growth with some of the largest residential schools having over 500 children in attendance
Source

Residential schools operated in Canada for more than how many years?

100 80 160

ANSWER 160

Residential schools operated in Canada for more than 160 years, with upwards of 150,000 children passing through their doors
Source

The last federally-funded residential school closed in what year?

1996 1988 2006

ANSWER 1996

The last federally-funded residential school closes in Punnichy, Saskatchewan
Source

Which Prime Minister made the first Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools?

Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau, Brian Mulroney

ANSWER Stephen Harper

On Wednesday, June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada
Source

Who decided where schools would be placed?

Federal Government, Church Organizations, Provincial Governemnt

ANSWER Churches

Catholic and Protestant churches provided much of the original direction on where schools would be placed and how the school system would grow.
Source

True or False - The trauma of the school’s colonization tactics has often led to suicide

True or False

ANSWER True

The trauma of the school’s colonization tactics has often led to self-abuse in an attempt to cope. According to the University of British Columbia, “Among First Nations people aged 10 to 44, suicide and self-inflicted injury is the number one cause of death, responsible for almost 40 percent of mortalities.
Source

In 1907, government medical inspector P.H. Bryce reported that percent of previously healthy Indigenous children across Canada were dying in residential schools.

2% 24% 12%

ANSWER 24%

In 1907, government medical inspector P.H. Bryce reported that 24 percent of previously healthy Indigenous children across Canada were dying in residential schools. This figure does not include children who died at home, where they were frequently sent when critically ill. Bryce reported that anywhere from 47 percent (on the Peigan Reserve in Alberta) to 75 percent (from File Hills Boarding School in Saskatchewan) of students discharged from residential schools died shortly after returning home.
Source

What percent of children between 7 and 15 years old were attending or had attended Indian Residential Schools.

25%, 45%, 75%

ANSWER 75%

At one point, 75% of children between 7 and 15 years old were attending or had attended Indian Residential Schools. These children faced terrible conditions due to underfunding and physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
Source

True or False - Residential schools impacted survivors parenting ability

True or False

ANSWER True

Residential schools included parenting models based on punishment, abuse, coercion and control. With little experience of nurturing family environments from which to draw, generations of residential school Survivors struggle with residual trauma. As adults, many are ill-prepared to nurture their own children. The effects of these chaotic family systems can be seen in the high rates of family violence and domestic partner abuse
Source

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 Reconciliation in Alberta

 Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action

 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

 National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 

People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

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Aboriginal Wellness Program 604-675-2551 or 1-866-884-0888

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ALIGN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES

Based out of Edmonton, we are a provincial collection of allies – a unified community of agencies that represents the diverse needs of Alberta’s children and families. We are proud to champion the work of our front line service providers and to support our members. Together, we are stronger.

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