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CANADIAN GOVERNMENT, CATHOLIC CHURCH, AMERICAN INDIAN ABUSE CASE SETTLED: On November 3rd, a precedent-setting agreement between the Catholic Church, Canada Federal Government, and ten Aboriginals from Vancouver who were abused as students at a Canadian residential school paves the way for 1600 other suits by Native Indians. The Oblate Brothers ran St. Joseph's residential school in British Columbia, where dozens of First Nation boys were allegedly abused in the 1950's and 1960's. The settlement includes an undisclosed amount of money, apologies from the Church, Oblate Brothers, and Federal Government. All parties have agreed to take part in a healing circle dear the defunct school in conjunction with the blessing of a renovated Catholic Church at the Indian's village. Editorial Note: Residential school were mandatory for many Native Indians in Canada and the USA from the 1880's through the mid-1970's, with both governments financing the cooperation of several Christian denomination to operate the schools. The declared intention of such schools was forced assimilation or "civilization" of Indian children into the culture of the European Immigrants to the Americas. The children were penalized severely for using their native languages or customs. Many of the lawsuits before the supreme courts of both countries are dealing with such injustices. |