Stephen Harper urged to show leadership on residential schools

By Mark Kennedy
Ottawa Citizen
May 27, 2015

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/stephen-harper-urged-to-show-leadership-on-residential-schools

A photo of First Nations children at the St. Mary's Residential school (near Mission, B.C.) (date unknown)

Opposition party leaders are calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to show personal “leadership” in his government’s public response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) next week.

But it’s unclear if Harper will even participate in the closing events for the six-year probe of the aboriginal residential school system.

Harper’s involvement is considered important because he was the political leader who delivered a historic apology in the House of Commons in 2008 for the federal government’s role in the residential school saga.

Now, he will be faced with responding to recommendations from the commission that will tell the brutal truth of how 150,000 aboriginal children were stripped from their families for many decades by the federal government and sent to church-run schools where many suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Starting Sunday, the TRC will hold four days of events in Ottawa to mark the end of its work. Leaders of aboriginal organizations, churches and ecumenical groups will participate throughout.

Details of the federal participation haven’t been publicly disclosed, although it’s expected Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt will play a prominent role.

On Wednesday, Stephen Lecce, Harper’s director of media relations, noted that the prime minister had “offered a historic apology” on behalf of all Canadians to residential school students.

“The Prime Minister intends to mark the closing events next week,” said Lecce. But it was unclear whether that meant he would personally show up at the TRC events.

On Wednesday, NDP leader Tom Mulcair said Harper acted properly when he rose in the Commons on June 11, 2008.

“Even though we are political adversaries, I think that it’s only fair to say that it was one of the best moments of Mr. Harper in those nine and a half years – when he called Parliament together to give an apology for the residential schools tragedy.

“We made an important admission that day that it was the fault of the federal government, and that’s why we offered an apology,” said Mulcair.

The NDP leader suggested that Harper’s words would be meaningless if they are not followed up with real action to foster a better relationship with aboriginal people.

“You have to remember why you have apologized. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be releasing a report. I don’t think it’s going to be kind with regard to what’s happened since that apology.”

Since 2008, relations with Canada’s First Nations have steadily gone sour – with the rise of the grassroots Idle No More movement, and bitter disagreement between the Conservative government and aboriginals over issues ranging from education to resource development.

“A prime minister worthy of the name is going to have to understand the importance of developing a respectful nation-to-nation relationship with our First peoples. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have failed completely on that front.”

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau also said Harper’s 2008 apology was an “important moment,” but he added that next week’s TRC report could be just as momentous.

“What Canadians are going to be reminded of when this report comes out – 150,000 children whose lives were ruined by the actions of the state – is going to be an extremely important moment for how we look as ourselves as a country,” said Trudeau.

Trudeau said it’s critical the federal government works with all Canadians to “bring a measure of peace” to the remaining 80,000 residential school “survivors” and their families.

“I think there should be as much political presence and leadership as possible. This is something that goes beyond any political party.

“I’d like to see the prime minister involved.”

The TRC heard from more than 7,000 witnesses and went to court to force the federal government to release archival documents on the schools.

On Tuesday, the commissioners will release an executive summary of their findings. Later that day, there will be responses from the federal government, former students, aboriginal groups and churches.

There will be a closing ceremony Wednesday at Rideau Hall.