Új Pedagógiai Szemle

Between 1880 and 1980, Canada forced around 150,000 Indigenous children into distant residential schools, executing a systematic cultural genocide through sexual abuse, isolation from families, and the prohibition of native languages. This colonial policy left a severe traumatic legacy, causing intergenerational residential school syndrome, addiction, rage, and the fragmentation of communities. Healing began by acknowledging this colonial trauma.

The first milestones toward genuine reconciliation were the 2007 out-of-court settlement and the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2008. The Commission’s 2015 final report formally labelled the system a cultural genocide, prompting state and papal apologies. Rooted in restorative justice, the Commission aimed to rebuild broken relationships rather than exact retribution, presenting a 94-point Call to Action.

Education became the primary tool to dismantle systemic inequalities. The federal government gradually withdrew from managing Indigenous schools, allocating substantial funding for infrastructure and language revitalization. The 2019 Indigenous Languages Act recognized language rights and integrated the wisdom of respected Elders into schools, allowing them to teach and provide emotional support.

Today, Canadian provinces have integrated Indigenous history and perspectives into their curricula. The educational focus has shifted from classroom theory to land-based learning in native languages, blending modern science with ancestral knowledge. Reconciliation and culturally appropriate education are recognized not only as moral obligations but as vital national interests for Canada's future.