VOTE RESULTS

The House of Commons voted unanymously to extend an apology to Aboriginal students forced to attend residential schools. But don't hold your breath waiting for the Prime Minister to deliver that apology any time soon if ever. The Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs will instead initiate a multi-million dollar multi-year investigation into the 'real story' of what went on the schools. An exercise that is expected to take up to 5 years and may or may not result in a recommendation to apologize.

Will there be any survivors to hear that apology? Will there be enough survivors able in the course of the five year study to participate in the review? How many times are they going to be asked to relive the atrocities? That is the real injustice. The aging population of survivors are declining in health and numbers every day. Where is the compassion? How much more evidence do they need before they accept the stories of our Elders to be true?

Am I surprised. No. Disappointed. Yes. Ashamed of my country's leadership. Yes. Proud of my Elders and Aboriginal leaders who remain respectful and determined as they resolve to keep the issue alive. Yes. Proud of individual Canadians who recognize that the hurt of one is the hurt of all. Yes. Optimistic that our nation will be made stronger, gentler, more compassionate and tolerant for having found reconsiliation some day. Yes. Even if it takes another and another generation the day will come when we stand strong shoulder to shoulder as people who respect and value the truth about our national identity. That we respect and value our indigenous roots.

Here are some of the headlines that were reported after the vote in the house of commons.

House apologizes to residential school students

House apologizes to survivors of native residential schools

PM won’t say he’s sorry for abuses at native schools

House apologizes to residential school survivors

Tories betray natives again

Residential school apology is years away: Minister

Symbolic residential schools motion passes but PM won’t say he’s sorry

House of Commons Apologizes to Residential School Students

Conservative Defy House Decision to Apologize for Residential School Legacy

Tories hamstrung in residential schools apology

Tories support apology for native schools but PM won’t say he’s sorry

Ottawa apologizes for residential schools

Here is the link to the full articles that were reported. Have a read. The story doesn't change but its interesting to see the range of sources and the various twists each takes on the story that have been reported from the mainstream media. Check back again to see if I add some links to aboriginal media sources.

http://www.google.com/nwshp?client=internal-uds&oe=utf8&ie=utf8&safe=high&ip=205.250.191.166&hl=en&ncl=1115931894


Here is a link to the motion that was presented to the House of Commons by Liberal MP Gary Merasty.

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Pub=hansard&Ses=1&DocId=2890888&File=0#SOB-2042759