Former prime minister Jean Chretien is being called out over his recent comments on residential schools, after stating he was not aware of any abuses happening in these institutions while he was minis
ter of then-Indian affairs.
In the CTV interview, Chretien was asked whether he takes some responsibility in light of the continued discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential school sites. He spoke about the importance of education, stating that the rate of Indigenous people graduating from university has grown exponentially from when he became minister to present day.In the Radio Canada interview, Chretien said: “No one ever mentioned this problem when I was minister. Never.”
“Imagine if he had read that letter, and thought ‘I should do something.’ How many children could have been saved? Because some of the worst crimes were being committed at that time. So it is outrageous for Jean Chretien today, to try and whitewash his role…because he knew people reached out to him and they begged him to do the right thing. And he ignored them,” Angus said., numerous accounts of abuse were documented as regular occurrences within these institutions.
In the Radio Canada interview, Chretien appeared to draw parallels between the experiences of Indigenous children at residential schools, and those of young people like himself who attended boarding schools, saying “life was difficult” at all of them. “I think Mr. Chretien, with all respect, doesn’t realize exactly what an Indigenous residential school is,” he said.
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