Aboriginal leaders and opposition parties are urging the federal government to immediately act after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released an executive summary of its report Tuesday.
The commissionâs found that the system amounted to âcultural genocideâ by forcibly removing aboriginal children from their families, customs and identities.
During question period in the House of Commons Tuesday, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Prime Minister Stephen Harperâs 2008 apology to First Nations is âonly meaningful if it is accompanied by real action.â
Mulcair asked Harper how he planned to respond to the TRC report and whether he agreed with the finding that the residential school system was ânothing short of cultural genocide.â
Harper did not directly answer the question, but said that the Conservative government has made âmultiple actions over the yearsâ to improve the lives of aboriginal people in Canada, including funding for education programs.
Harper said the residential schools were âa policy of forced assimilation that not only destroyed the lives of individuals, but of entire families and society and it has had long last implications on entire communities in his country.â
Speaking at a TRC news conference shortly before question period, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt said heâs âconfident that we can build on the work that has been done.â
He said that Canada wants to âreaffirmâ its commitment to reconciliation and will continue to work with aboriginal groups and leaders.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also pressed Harper on the TRC report during question period, saying that his party accepts all of the
Harper said his government will first examine the recommendations before deciding âthe next steps.â
Perry Bellegarde, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, told a TRC news conference Tuesday that residential school survivors and their families deserve ânothing less than transformative change.â
He said that without government action, Harperâs words from 2008 will end up being an âempty, meaningless apology.â