Indian residential school experience a "holocaust".

[grammafreddy]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1104.html

'Holocaust' comment not appropriate: Layton
CBC News
Posted: Apr 21, 2011 12:53 PM CST
Last Updated: Apr 21, 2011 12:53 PM CST


Lawrence Joseph is the NDP's candidate in the northern
Saskatchewan riding of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River. CBC

NDP leader Jack Layton says it's not appropriate for one of his Saskatchewan candidates to call the Indian residential school experience a "holocaust."

Speaking to reporters in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Wednesday night, Layton said he's glad Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River candidate Lawrence Joseph has apologized for using those words.

The Holocaust is a term commonly used to describe the systematic murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazis during the Second World War.

Some historians and former residential school students have likened the residential school system as Canada's own holocaust, referring to the abuse and systematic racism experienced in the schools during last half of the 20th century.

Layton said he understood where Joseph, a former chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, was coming from.

"There's no question that the residential school experience was devastating for a great many aboriginal Canadians. And emotions overtook him," Layton said.

Joseph made the Holocaust remark during an all-candidates forum Tuesday night in Meadow Lake, Sask.

Some media outlets have reported that Joseph stands by his remarks, but Layton suggested otherwise.

"I'm glad that he has expressed his regrets and his apology for the use of that word," Layton said

On Thursday morning, Joseph's campaign manager told CBC that Joseph is out of cellphone range and unavailable for further comment.

The NDP has high hopes for Joseph to win a seat in Saskatchewan. The NDP were shut out of the province in the 2008 election.

I thought "halocaust" was quite appropriate.

[UnknownResident]

The Holocaust is a term commonly used to describe the systematic murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazis during the Second World War.

I like how they feel the need to tell us that, like there's anyone who doesn't understand the reference.....Please tell me everyone in Canada understands what the Holocaust is...

[grammafreddy]

The Holocaust is a term commonly used to describe the systematic murder of six million Jewish people by the Nazis during the Second World War.

I like how they feel the need to tell us that, like there's anyone who doesn't understand the reference.....Please tell me everyone in Canada understands what the Holocaust is...

Please correct your quote. I didn't say that - I quoted the article.

[grammafreddy]

hol·o·caust
   [hol-uh-kawst, hoh-luh-]
–noun
1. a great or complete devastation or destruction, especially by fire.
2. a sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burnt offering.
3. ( usually initial capital letter ) the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during world War II (usually preceded by the ).
4. any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.

[Captain Awesome]

And how many Indians were recklessly and systematically slaughtered in Canadian schools?

[grammafreddy]

And how many Indians were recklessly and systematically slaughtered in Canadian schools?

Likely more than we will ever know about. There's quite a few dead bodies out in the woods around the residential schools.

[Bagotricks]

And how many Indians were recklessly and systematically slaughtered in Canadian schools?

Just go to Vancouver's Downtown eastside. There are plenty of walking dead zombies to be seen. Whether or not you really want to classify them as "alive" is up to you, but they defiantly have been slaughtered one way or the other.

[The Green Barbarian]

And how many Indians were recklessly and systematically slaughtered in Canadian schools?

Just go to Vancouver's Downtown eastside. There are plenty of walking dead zombies to be seen. Whether or not you really want to classify them as "alive" is up to you, but they defiantly have been slaughtered one way or the other.

[Al Czervic]

This is the side of politics that I hate. We all ask for candidates to openly speak their minds, then the moment one does so and says something politically incorrect it becomes a big media circus and the media and everyone else nukes whoever it was the went off message from towing the party line. I hope this NDP candidate stands by his words. This is no different then the Federal Liberal candidate from Alberta who also got slapped for sot saying something in the most politically correct manner. This kind of crap needs to stop and candidates should be able to speak out without having to fear this BS.

[Captain Awesome]

Likely more than we will ever know about. There's quite a few dead bodies out in the woods around the residential schools.

Well, I wouldn't compare a sociological experiment that went sour even though it resulted in "few dead bodies" to a systematic killing of entire nations.

[grammafreddy]

Likely more than we will ever know about. There's quite a few dead bodies out in the woods around the residential schools.

Well, I wouldn't compare a sociological experiment that went sour even though it resulted in "few dead bodies" to a systematic killing of entire nations.

Well, I wouldn't call what the governments and the churches did to the native people a "sociological experiment".

[steven lloyd]

Well, I wouldn't call what the governments and the churches did to the native people a "sociological experiment".

Very true grammy. “Holocaust” might not be the most accurate term but it certainly comes closer than "sociological experiment", and there can be little doubt, especially for people who in any way work with disadvantaged First Nations persons (including criminal justice) that the devastating effects still persist and present themselves intergenerationally. Bago’s comment is completely telling and accurate and still only relates to part of the outcome.

Just go to Vancouver's Downtown eastside. There are plenty of walking dead zombies to be seen. Whether or not you really want to classify them as "alive" is up to you, but they defiantly have been slaughtered one way or the other.

What can be seen in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside can also be seen across the province among the reserves and throughout small rural towns, and in addition to the alcohol and drug abuse they include a disporportionate incidence of intergenerational sexual abuse and incest. To minimize the impact of that atrocity (residential schools) displays a real ignorance of the issue and I would suggest some study might be in order before further commenting.

http://www.niichro.com/inspired/ibe_3.html

http://heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/ab ... ople/alt/4

http://www.sicc.sk.ca/saskindian/a94sep04.htm

http://myworldyourworld.blog.ca/2009/06 ... e-6311450/

http://www.suite101.com/content/making- ... ns-a100045

http://www.suite101.com/content/dark-le ... ols-a99906

[Amarow121]

Okay, let's try this out for size:

Holocaust is the systematic destruction of a people.
While residential schools were not designed to kill first nations children, they were designed to raise first nations children to NOT identify with their first nations culture and heritage.
So while many children died while attending schools the damage was more in the fact that the schoools were systematically trying to erase and destroy the children's connection to their culture.

So that leaves the question, if the children weren't killed, but they were no longer part of their parents culture.... is that a holocaust?

[grammafreddy]

Okay, let's try this out for size:

Holocaust is the systematic destruction of a people.
While residential schools were not designed to kill first nations children, they were designed to raise first nations children to NOT identify with their first nations culture and heritage.
So while many children died while attending schools the damage was more in the fact that the schoools were systematically trying to erase and destroy the children's connection to their culture.

So that leaves the question, if the children weren't killed, but they were no longer part of their parents culture.... is that a holocaust?

Works for me ... it was a planned "mass destruction" and to me, that makes it a holocaust.

[Captain Awesome]

I just think the word "holocaust" is being thrown around a bit too freely, that's all.

So that leaves the question, if the children weren't killed, but they were no longer part of their parents culture.... is that a holocaust?

Not the way I see it. After all, Nazi's didn't tell Jewish, Slovak, and Soviet folks - "- This is how you speak German..."