I concur with what Robin and Mike - NWO
have stated. What more can there be done? An apology was given. We tax payers have been paying substantial amount for something that the government has done a long time ago. Native youths also have the option of free post-secondary education. I, for one, am not white, I am Chinese and I have to work hard to get money to fund for my education and to pay my taxes. Us citizens of Canada have acknowledged that residential schools have been an extremely unnecessary requirements for the Aboriginal people. It was a terrible mistake and should have not even existed.
But why is it that us citizens have to pay back for what the government did and more demands are made from the abused for funding and money? Where will they get the money? From the government yes, but where will the government get the money from? Us.
All I am trying to say is although the Aboriginal people have been treated the way they should not have been treated, there are other racial minorities that had it bad as well. For instance, the Chinese were treated like trash as we built the Canadian rail way and it was because of a large portion of the Chinese immigrants, Canada was joined and connected via rail way. My ancestors died during the process and what do the goverment give us? Nothing. And what's even interesting is the fact that Chinese people, whom are also hardworking citizens of Canada do not get any compensation. Do you see alot of us demanding an apology and asking for tuition funds and social assistance? Do you see a lot of us still reliving the past. No.
Lest we forgive and not forget.

We all have to acknowledge that a formal apology was given and the residential school atrocities have been acknowledged. We cannot change what is in the past and White people cannot keep owing for future generations to come. Our forefathers are not us. The ones to apologize and be bashed on are the ones who were directly involved, which were the churches and the government, mainly the Liberal government. And the Conservative government has done something that has never be done.

Why can't we just forgive and move on and live a better and happier life and look forward into the future and build a stronger Native community instead of bringing up hatred? The more hatred we bring up and suppress, the more this feeling of betrayal will prolong. This will only seperate this country and nation more and more and no unity will ever exist!

Of course the victims will not "move on" just like that, but perhaps the motivation to live a better life and to show the government that you can be better than what they view the Native people to be will show to them, a strong and resilient culture. And I know that the Aboriginal culture is very resilient and a rich culture. Let this shine through!...

((((((*******))))))

**This is in response the our Canadian Federal Government's Apology to all First Nations People of Canada.  An Apology for forcibly taking all the their little children away form parents to be placed and locked up in Indian Residential Schools in isolated areas of Canada.  Or the Native parents would be jailed if they didn't comply their children to go with the RCMP. 

I cannot help but see the Chinese guy feels he is paying all the taxes here in Canada..and "yes" some of his ancestors were also abused during the building of railway tracks, but where was this guy when the Canadian Government did make a Public Apology and compensated the Chinese men who came here to Canada at their own free will??..they were never forced, stolen as children, or beaten, sexually abused or all the ugliness that occurred behind the locked doors of  Indian Residential School monitored by Churches and the Canadian Federal Government. I believe this guy needs to try seeing passed his prejudice and really educate himself. 

To steal other peoples children is a crime.  To purposely spread smallpox amongst innocent children in schools is a crime. To purposely deny children an education is a crime, especially when our Candian Government  sends millions of dollars to Third World Countries, ignoring the impoverish First Nations People of Canada living in Third World conditions.  GGggrrrr.

News from Internet...more to the story than meets the eye...Today the younger generation feel; just because they themselves did not attend Indian Residential Schools, it doesn't bother them.  It has made a huge difference in their education or lack of it, because our Canadian Government created new PRIVATE Colleges or Alternate Classes to put the more intelligent student in to supposedly learn, and get their training amongst their fellow Native Students with the same heritage. 

The only problem with that, is: they hire the worse, and inexperienced teachers who really do not have Teachers Certificate...so sad to see the young First Nations People feeling proud about being in Colleges, but they have no idea about the truth, until they apply for University, only to realise they do not qualify because of low grades when writing their entry tests.  Not all First Nations People fail, but it is still a very high failure rate because high school teachers purposely do not help First nations Students by not working with them and showing each student how to arrive to an answer to their subject questions.

NEWS:

**Native groups are apprehensive this week, as they prepare for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's delivery of a long-awaited apology for abuse at residential schools. Some are wondering why the government hasn't discussed details about the apology -- and what may or may not accompany it. 08/06/2008 9:51:30 PM Residential school students appear in this undated file photo. Saira Peesker Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl has promised Harper will deliver what "will be a very meaningful and respectful apology" in front of the House of Commons. But no drafts of the apology have been circulated.

According to the executive director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society, victims are looking for signs Harper plans to help improve their situation. "When you're actually sorry, you have to do something about it," Ted Quewezance told CTV.ca in a telephone interview on Thursday. "Within seconds we'll know how sincere (his apology) is." In an open letter to the prime minister last week, Quewezance said he hopes Harper knows his words "will have an intense impact on reconciliation." "Most in the world would call what was done 'cultural genocide'," wrote the 55-year-old residential school survivor, who was taken from his grandparents at age five to live away from home for 11 years. "Can you imagine someone coming into your yard and taking you away?" he told CTV.ca in an interview. "I was holding onto my grandfather's leg... If they didn't let us go they were told they would be put in jail."

The government will pay expenses for about 100 people who once attended the federally funded, church-run schools to attend the event in Ottawa on Wednesday, but it appears thousands would like be present for the historic moment. The federal government started funding the schools -- which were an extension of religious missionary work -- in 1874. About 150,000 native children went through their programs, most of which were closed down by the 1970s.

The National Residential School Survivors' Society wants the government to: Accept "total" responsibility for what was done to school abuse victims Make a sincere public expression of sorrow Confess publicly what was done to each survivor Make restitution by rebuilding individuals, families and communities Ask forgiveness "The impact on survivors and their families has... resulted in the destruction of our families and communities," wrote Quewezance. "Children were beaten, humiliated, starved, introduced to contagious diseases like tuberculosis, sexually abused (and) some people died under questionable circumstances in an environment whose goal was to 'take the Indian out of the child.'" The letter also demands that the government put an end to policies that "re-victimize" native peoples.

"It is Canada's responsibility to look after our people but it isn't happening," said Quewezance. "The conditions we are living in... nothing has changed. It's bad. The effect this legacy has had on our children -- you can see it. The suicides, the drugs, where did this come from?" 'A tremendous gesture' But not all residential school victims are insisting that Harper introduce sweeping policy changes in Wednesday's speech. As far as Manitoba's Minister of Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport is concerned, the PM's decision to make a formal apology is "a tremendous gesture." Eric Robinson, a residential school victim and a member of the provincial NDP government, says Harper's willingness to start a dialogue speaks much louder than the previous Liberal government's muted handling of events.

"I have to commend the national government -- I never thought I would ever see the day," Robinson said in an interview last week. "I think (the apology) should have happened many years ago but it's a bold move all the same." In 1998, then-Indian affairs minister Jane Stewart admitted that physical and sexual abuse in the once-mandatory schools was rampant. At the time, many of the 90,000 survivors said they wanted a more formal admission of guilt for what is seen as the government's attempt to obliterate aboriginal cultures, religions and languages. "That didn't really touch anybody," said Robinson. "It didn't have the wide-reaching effect the government at the time hoped it would.

This time, it's coming from the head of our national government and I think that makes all the difference in the world." At the end of 2006, 80,000 members of a residential schools class action lawsuit settled with the government for $5 billion. The settlement included individual payments of more than $10,000 as well as a $125 million aboriginal healing fund, $60 million for a five-year Truth and Reconciliation Commission, $20 million for commemorative projects and a controversial $100 million for legal fees. On June 2, the government formally launched the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a panel led by Justice Harry LaForme. The panel has a five-year mandate to take public or private statements from anyone affected by the residential schools legacy.

PS..where's the money?? they state they have given millions of dollars to First Nations People and healing funds, BUT??? if so, where is the money?  Nobody knows, nobody can answer.  All is under a cloud of lies..no wonder they are fearful.  Sorry to bother you with this, I feel the secrecy of our Canadian Goverment is shameful.

Sacrifices!..what exactly is sacrifices?

For the love of certain people in our lives, we make many sacrifices.
Even tho' they tend to tear your world apart.
Love is a beautiful feeling, but is not without sacrifices.
The things some people do and say to break your heart.

Is enough to make a person wonder, is love worth all these sacrifices?
We have had to make; to prove our love to them?
Are self-sacrifices even worth the heartaches in the name of sacrifices?
When; In the end it means nothing to them!

Becoming a parent meant giving up your freedom in sacrifice.
Being a parent means you give up good-time friends.
As a parent you learned to help and accept advice
From those experienced in life, who only want to help defend.

As a parent you made a choice, you accepted to learn sacrifice.
Your little family you created with a new baby in your life.
Your carefree world is no longer there, you gave it in sacrifice.
The things you added to your new found parental life.

As a child, parents kept the hurts and worries from your life,
They told you everything will be alright,
This was their self-sacrifice(s) given to you to enjoy your little life.
Their own hearts aching and feeling tight.

Now as a parent you made a choice to accept life's little sacrifices
You had to forsake all your good-time friends
But ,there comes a time in a parents life; to make another self sacrifice
To let you go; since you chose to stay with good-time friends

Through life's hardships, trial and error. I gladly accepted my sacrifices
Now, my empathy and understanding is no longer.
You never knew what I went through to give you a life without sacrifices
It is your turn now to become more stronger.

It is time to learn to give and help your child through your sacrifices
Give up your good-time friends and carefree ways in life.
Learn about the things your own parents gave up in their sacrifices
Instead of crying over your childhood life.

Give your child; a better head-start of what you deemed to be hardships
Give your child; a parent to turn to when the road gets tough
Give your child; the love, care and understanding of your friendship
Give your child; what your own parents failed to give you when life gets rough.

This is only a small part of self-sacrifice's
There will be many more down the road.
A selfless parent will accept sacrifices
Your love will help carry the load: It's not a load, it's a love to hold.

Cherish it.

copy right..do not copy.