Church refuses to apologise for mistreatment of Canadian children
The Catholic Church has been criticised for refusing to apologise for the treatment of aboriginal Canadian children sent to church-run residential schools. Although the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, apologised for the Government, and a raft of other churches including the Anglicans, Presbyterians and United Churches had issued official apologies, the Catholic Church remains silent.
As many as 150,000 aboriginal children were forcibly sent to the grim schools to be “Christianised” and to “kill the Indian within”. Many were physically and sexually abused. “The Canadian Government has apologised, “Katherine Sorby, a former residential school student, told Canadian Catholic News. “The Pope hasn’t, has he?”
27 June 2008
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Guardian, 21 August 2008
Yorkshire Post, 21 August 2008
Telegraph, 21 August 2008
The fact that this case was won while another case – that of 16- year old Lydia Playfoot and her claim in 2007 to want to wear a “chastity ring” in school – was thrown out of court seems in itself to be discriminatory.
Government transitional safeguards to protect the jobs and promotion prospects of head teachers and teachers already in post in Voluntary Controlled faith schools breach natural justice and are discriminatory, says the National Secular Society.