On August 6, 1993, Archbishop Michael Peers, then-Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, stood before the National Native Convocation in Minaki, Ont. and apologized for his church’s involvement in residential schools. The Anglican Church of Canada had helped administer around three dozen schools between 1820 and 1969, and many students had suffered emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Archbishop Peers spoke these words: “I am sorry, more than I can say, that we were part of a system that took you and your children from home and family. I am sorry, more than I can say, that we tried to remake you in our image, by taking from you your language and your signs of identity.”
Moments later, Vi Smith, an Aboriginal elder, formally accepted this apology.
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In the video, Archbishop Hiltz explains how the church “has faithfully tried to live this apology and accompany words with action.” He mentions the residential schools working group, the Primate’s special envoy for residential schools, and the Anglican Healing Fund, which has contributed over $3.25 million to 330 Aboriginal healing projects since 1991.
Read the Primate’s 1993 apology in English here.
Download the Primate’s 1993 apology in Oji-Cree syllabics (PDF) here
Learn the history of Anglican residential schools here.
Read about the Anglican Church of Canada’s current Aboriginal justice work here.
Visit the Remembering the Children tour site here.