Terry is right to be angry, as many of us are about this hullabaloo and distorted history. But I raise this consideration: In Britain and Europe, wealthy families sent their children to boarding schools. It was considered a privilege to have that educational experience ( even with its endemic horrors). Did those parents ( and generations of the same) become a generation that lost parenting ( and living) skills and need to be compensated for it?
It’s an excellent question but one for which there’s an approach to an answer, I think. Eton turned Eric Blair into George Orwell, life long man of the left. (“Such, such were the joys.”) But the dysfunctions of British boarding school (buggery, bullying, and the cane) took place in a seamless cultural milieu. Whatever individual or even familial harms those schools inflicted, the pupils returned to a world they knew and were, in fact, intentionally prepared to enter. The opposite was the case with a lot - not all but a lot - of the residential schools. Students were educated, formed, prepared in environments radically distant, geographically and culturally, from their places of origin - their family homes. There was bound to be - forgive the high faultin word - serious existential dislocation for many of them, especially those who came from and returned to remote Indigenous places.
As a side note, what made the Kamloops school such a preposterous ground zero for the claims Terry and others have challenged is that it was on the north bank of the South Thompson River across the Red Bridge from the town of 10,000 on the south bank. It was significantly enmeshed in the daily life of Kamloops. I remember being taken as a little kid to a fundraiser at the Elks Hall where money was donated to help “our kids” at the residential school take part in an Indigenous dance festival in Mexico. The entire town was so proud of them. The idea that 215 of their fellow pupils were murdered and buried by nuns at midnight is absurd. But their proximity was not the same for all.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply, Peter. My understanding is that the children went back home on holidays, at least the summers. Yes, I agree there was an us and them mentality but how could there not be? I would argue that it still persists because of special treatment instead of respectful acknowledgment of our differing ancestry and cultural beliefs. Much of our reconciliation attempt smacks of virtue signalling, not genuine love and respect. We white folks have made many mistakes in settling this new country, do we have to believe none have been made by First Nations people? They have always been astute bargainers and business people. They were well disposed to change when it was advantageous, as any people are for survival. When can we call it a day and move on as Canadians in a vast, rich and beautiful land?
Thanks for this Peter. I'd forgotten what I sound like when I'm blowing off some steam!!
A friend of mine said your words “were exactly what needed to be said…just perfect.” No mention of steam.
Bravo Mr. Stockland. This is another welcome step up from that madness of the past few years. Thank you.
Terry is right to be angry, as many of us are about this hullabaloo and distorted history. But I raise this consideration: In Britain and Europe, wealthy families sent their children to boarding schools. It was considered a privilege to have that educational experience ( even with its endemic horrors). Did those parents ( and generations of the same) become a generation that lost parenting ( and living) skills and need to be compensated for it?
It’s an excellent question but one for which there’s an approach to an answer, I think. Eton turned Eric Blair into George Orwell, life long man of the left. (“Such, such were the joys.”) But the dysfunctions of British boarding school (buggery, bullying, and the cane) took place in a seamless cultural milieu. Whatever individual or even familial harms those schools inflicted, the pupils returned to a world they knew and were, in fact, intentionally prepared to enter. The opposite was the case with a lot - not all but a lot - of the residential schools. Students were educated, formed, prepared in environments radically distant, geographically and culturally, from their places of origin - their family homes. There was bound to be - forgive the high faultin word - serious existential dislocation for many of them, especially those who came from and returned to remote Indigenous places.
As a side note, what made the Kamloops school such a preposterous ground zero for the claims Terry and others have challenged is that it was on the north bank of the South Thompson River across the Red Bridge from the town of 10,000 on the south bank. It was significantly enmeshed in the daily life of Kamloops. I remember being taken as a little kid to a fundraiser at the Elks Hall where money was donated to help “our kids” at the residential school take part in an Indigenous dance festival in Mexico. The entire town was so proud of them. The idea that 215 of their fellow pupils were murdered and buried by nuns at midnight is absurd. But their proximity was not the same for all.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply, Peter. My understanding is that the children went back home on holidays, at least the summers. Yes, I agree there was an us and them mentality but how could there not be? I would argue that it still persists because of special treatment instead of respectful acknowledgment of our differing ancestry and cultural beliefs. Much of our reconciliation attempt smacks of virtue signalling, not genuine love and respect. We white folks have made many mistakes in settling this new country, do we have to believe none have been made by First Nations people? They have always been astute bargainers and business people. They were well disposed to change when it was advantageous, as any people are for survival. When can we call it a day and move on as Canadians in a vast, rich and beautiful land?
Step off the official path and be labeled a denialist. Who is truly in denial?!
I see no change coming from this federal liberal govt, the carney shade of lipstick does not change the stink of this pig.
Yoiks. That's saying what you mean.