Age of Reconciliation

As a plexus of boarding schools funded by the Federal Government of Canada in the mid 18th century, Residential Schools were "established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture". With the retirement of the last Residential School in 1996, the egregious outcomes consisting of "mental distress, depression, addictive behaviors and substance miss-use, stress, and suicidal behaviors" have seen exponential growth among individuals with trauma stemming from Residential Schools. While it may be true that making a Residential School a national historic site may be invasive, costly, and may cause additional trauma, establishing the Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ontario as a national historic site would contribute to a more inclusive history and identity of Canada and would uphold the justice and the testaments of countless victims from being overlooked. Moreover, the Mohawk Institute is the oldest Residential School and by preserving the school, we honor the survivors, and sustain the memory of Canada’s darkest history, the system displaced countless children from Indigenous communities and carried out cultural genocide across Canada.