Recent content by Bertrand Russell White

The people involved were in contact with both the Vatican and Roman Catholic Church in Canada. The problem seems to be an unwillingness to take responsibility for actions sanctioned by the RCC both within Canada and at the Vatican. Strictly speaking you are correct, the Church does not make...

My co-op work was with the Federal government.

Yes, good question. There seems to be a lack of concern for justice. However, I'm sure there will be calls for more of this soon. The residential school system is a very bad black mark on Canada. Canada is no Saint when it comes to human rights abuses although we have a tendency to think we...

Seem to be a question of both and rather than either or

Yes, this would be interesting to determine. I think this could be true.

Do you think groups should pay what is agreed or use the law to get around agreements?

Sadly, it seems this is exactly what happened. The Canadian Council of Bishops had some of the best lawyers in Canada contracted to ensure that the language in the agreement was flexible enough to provide loopholes. As you say, no different than big business.

This is a very important clarification that I did not include in my post which helps to clear up any misunderstanding - thank you!. This clarification is excellent because it makes clear the degree to which people were forced to change their normal mode of functioning. I can't think of actions...

Canada and USA are quite different in their philosophy about inclusion of citizens. Canada has always to a greater and lesser extent tried to include people with the idea of an "enlarging circle" (native concept) rather then assimilate them into a clear fixed set of myths, laws and principles...

Many good points in this post. I read a very articulate thinker from the RCC tradition who made many of the same points about Priests. They claimed that it would also solve many of their current issues and problems as well. They also said that it would help stop the bleeding away of many very...

Yes, there are definitely limits to what can be compensated and by whom. In this case, the group (RCC) did agree on payment but then did very little to raise the amount agreed upon. The argument then was that "reasonable effort" had been made. However, most outside experts - other Christians...

Agreed! Especially since the other groups made restitution (paid agreed upon amount) and apologized publicly.

My limited reading on the subject indicates there were advantages. The amount seemed not to be a problem but the negotiators on the native side seem to have had time limits because of changing governments with changing priorities.

In Canada, several Christian denominations including the Roman Catholic Church ran native schools (residential schools). These schools were meant to assimilate native people into the Canadian culture and destroy native culture. Many of them committed grave abuses such as physical, sexual and...

Never had that experience or anything like it. I would take notice if it did.