RIGHTS: Canada Apologizes For Abuse newsdesk The Inter Press Service in English 2:34 PM Jan 11, 1998 Copyright 1997 InterPress Service, all rights reserved. Worldwide distribution via the APC networks. *** 08-Jan-98 *** Title: RIGHTS: Canada Apologizes For Abuse of Native Peoples By Mark Bourrie OTTAWA, Jan 8 (IPS) - The Canadian government has apologized to the country's 1.5 million aboriginal people for decades of mistreatment that included attempts to stamp out native culture and assimilate Indians and mixed race people. In a ceremony in Canada's Parliamentarty building Tuesday, aboriginal leaders and government ministers pledged to work together to try to heal the damage done to aboriginal people and their culture. Indian leaders condemned the government for its 80-year program of taking children from native families and sending them to oftyen abusive government-run schools. During the colonial period, the 650 aboriginal nations in Canada were relegated to reserves, usually in isolated, unproductive regions of the country. Native populations declined drastically until the 1940s, languages were lost, and traditional ceremonies were outlawed. Minister of Indian Affairs Jane Stewart read a ''Statement of Reconciliation'' that acknowledged the damage done to the native population - including the hanging of Louis Riel after he led a rebellion of Indian and mixed-race people in western Canada in 1885. But the government apology stopped short of pardoning Riel, something aboriginal leaders have demanded for decades. Stewart did, however, apologize for the government's assimilation policies. ''Attitudes of racial and cultural superiority led to a suppression of aboriginal culture and values," she said. ''As a country, we are burdened by past actions that resulted in weakening the identity of aboriginal peoples, suppressing their languages and cultures, and outlawing spiritual practices. ''We must recognize the impact of these actions on the once self- sustaining nations that were disaggregated, disrupted, limited or even destroyed by the dispossession of traditional territory, by the relocation of aboriginal people, and by some provisions of the Indian Act. ''The time has come to state formally that the days of paternalism and disrespect are behind us and we are committed to changing the nature of the relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Canada.'' Phil Fontaine, leader the Assembly of First nations, a coalition of nationwide aboriginal groups, the apology paves the way for lasting peace between native peoples and the Canadian government. ''This celebrates the beginning of a new era,'' Fontaine said. '' It is a major step forward in our quest to be recognized as a distinct order of government in Canada,'' With the apology came a 250 million dollars fund to redress the problems caused by the residential school policy. From the 1870s until the 1960s, the government took children from native homes and placed them in Church-run boarding schools where many were physically abused by priests, nuns and ministers. The money will be spent on therapy and job skills. ''It is appropriate to remember those who are victims of the colonial experience, in particular, the many survivors of the residential school system. You are a source of hope and inspiration to our present and future generations,'' Fontaine said to foremer residential school pupils at the ceremony in an opulent room of the Canadian legislative building. Other Indian leaders said the money won't solve endemic problems of alcoholism, racism and poverty that plague Canadian aboriginals. Even the six billion dollars the Canadian government spends each year on native programs has done little to help Indians live in acceptable housing and have decent education and health services. Stewart said the Canadian government wants to give aboriginal people control over local government on their reserve lands, health programs, education and job training. ''This brings to a close the official policies of victimization of our peoples, and will allow us to move forward in our quest for equality and fairness in dealing with federal and provincial governments as equals,'' he said. But Fontaine added negotiations must continue for help from the Canadian government to get native tribes back on their feet. ''You can see that much work has been done. The government has committed itself to new resources, better infrastructure and much needed aid,'' Fontaine said. ''But much more needs to be accomplished. The days of First Nations citizens as victims are over. We are a strong, resilient people and we are confident that we can move ahead and forge a new future for ourselves.'' Not all Indian leaders were comfortable with the reconciliation statement. Representatives of Inuit, native women's groups and Metis - descendents of ontyermingling between early French explorers and native tribes - said they did not believe the aplogy was strong enough. And they were critical that the statement did not refer in more detail to the wrongs done to their communities and maintained that the money involved in recompense was not enough. Inuit and Metis leaders, who are not included in the Assembly of First Nations, also complained that Stewart's later statements did not mention specific programmes for them. (END/IPS/mb/mk/98) Origin: ROMAWAS/RIGHTS/ ---- [c] 1997, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS) All rights reserved May not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system or service outside of the APC networks, without specific permission from IPS. 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