Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I listened to the Prime Minister’s apology to residential school survivors. I wanted to speak about the historic announcement but felt I needed a few days to digest the statement so I could properly address it on behalf of my family and Nunakput constituents.
Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues have talked about, this is a very tough day for a lot of people in my riding and in the ridings of Inuvik Twin Lakes, Inuvik Boot Lake, Mackenzie Delta, and even for the Member for Sahtu and the whole Northwest Territories. All our constituents have been affected tragically by the whole residential school experience.
As you know, there are many angles to this apology. Some benefited; others suffered. Did the apology go far enough? Is the apology what they were waiting for? I can say one thing, Mr. Speaker: the apology brought back old scars to survivors, and last Wednesday was very trying for them. Few people escaped the consequences of residential school. Families were torn apart. Even though residential schools in Inuvik closed in the early ’90s, we can still see effects of the experience as they also created a new generation of victims.
Mr. Speaker, individuals in the families have been dealing with their experiences in their own ways. Many are still grappling with the need to accept what happened and are only now beginning to deal directly with it. Last week’s historic announcement by the Government of Canada means a new beginning for many survivors and relatives of survivors in that we’ve had to look at it — a new beginning that needs to be addressed by strong, committed partnerships in resolving all the issues and working on them together.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
