The Horror of Canada’s Residential Schools Was Hiding in Plain Sight
The horrifying details about thousands of dead Indigenous children should not come as a shock to Canadians. It’s no good just hand-wringing in response. Solidarity and action is what’s needed.
Flags mark the spots of over 750 unmarked graves found near a former residential school for Indigenous children in Saskatchewan, western Canada, the second such discovery in less than a month.(Geoff Robins / AFP via Getty Images)
Mainstream society has responded with shock and horror to the recent identification of the unmarked graves of hundreds of Indigenous children on the grounds of two former Indian residential schools. That response is pathetic.
Indigenous people’s hearts and souls have been breaking for generations. Our hurt and our anger have been bubbling for ages. While most compassionate people grieve with us, the majority of Canadians still remain unaware of the truth about their country.
How can anyone claim they have never heard of the Indian residential school system? Or not know that there are thousands of Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves throughout Canada? The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) travelled across Canada for seven years. There was news coverage. Millions of dollars were spent. That alone must have caught some attention!
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