Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments today are on residential schools. It is very evident now that residential school abuse has had a serious and traumatic impact on the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories. Many of the social problems affecting Northerners today can be traced to residential school abuse. Granted, not all students that attended residential school suffered abuse. Many of our leaders today attended these schools and are now role models for our communities. There are others who claim that the residential school program is the best thing that could have happened to them at the time.
For many years, society has refused to admit that anything so horrendous could have taken place at the hands of people in religion or in government-run facilities. However, Mr. Speaker, we have to admit that the abuse has taken place at the hostels and residential schools. The abuse came in many forms; physical, mental, sexual or neglect. It all added up to abuse.
Mr. Speaker, these same students were also forbidden to speak their own language. They also no longer had the opportunity to pursue traditional activities. Mr. Speaker, many of these students lost their identity and their sense of self. In short, Mr. Speaker, they became paradoxes in their own land. We cannot ignore the fact that a great deal of abuse that has happened in the North is the result of government failing to protect children while in their care and housed in their facilities. We will probably never be able to right that wrong and we will probably have to live with the consequences for many generations to come.
However, Mr. Speaker, we have to recognize the impact that residential schools have had on the people of the Northwest Territories. We have to provide the support to the victims during the trials and the hearings and encourage this government to provide the programs and services that support the healing and foster safe environments for individuals, families and communities as a result of this big injustice that we are finally able to admit has taken place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause