In this 2026 book Phyllis Webstad, a Canadian Residential School survivor is saying subtly: You, Canada tried to wipe us out but it didn’t work – we are still here.
She does not focus on the abuse that took place in these schools, but rather reminds us of the fact that separating an indigenous child from the love of their family, is the primary cause of today’s pain.
The purpose of Canada’s Residential Schools program was to assimilate First Nations, Inuit and Métis people into Canadian society so that they would no longer be dependent on the rest of society. Initially attendance was voluntary but this soon was made mandatory.
140 such schools were placed into operation by the Federal Government over the years 1828 – 1997. About 150,000 indigenous children between the ages of 6 and 16 were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to live in a residential school. Their parents were fined or jailed – yes jailed! – if they failed to comply and send their children. There are about 20,000 living survivors today.
Churches operated these schools as a means of spreading the gospel by forcibly evangelizing these children. Hence they were complicit in the master social plan. Phyllis was a third generation attendee as both her mother and grandmother attended The St. Joseph’s Mission School for 10 years each. Separating children from the love of their families has resulted in generations of damaged adults who were not capable of caring for their children.
When she was 6, she attended the St. Joseph’s Mission School near Williams Lake B.C. but only for one year before it was closed. She lived in the school dorm and was bussed daily to a nearby public school. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate operated St. Joseph’s from 1891 to 1981.
At a public event in Williams Lake in 2013, Phyllis told the story of how on her very first day of school she was stripped of her clothes including a shiny new orange shirt that her grandmother had bought her. It was never returned. She would cry herself to sleep thinking that she did not matter. When she told the story like this it went viral!
As to the issue of why no digging at suspected gravesites has taken place yet at Kamloops and elsewhere, she says that they are still in mourning for these missing children and need more time.
Phyllis wants the truth to come out so that Reconciliation can proceed. If you want to get involved, she advises to pick one of the TRCs 94 Calls to Action and champion it.
This was a colossal human social policy failure that darkens Canada’s past. Even though our generation was not there, it was our government and churches who were. We simply must and do accept responsibility for this. However in any family estrangement situation, reconciliation requires mutual forgiveness in order to permanently succeed.
However, forgiveness cannot meaningfully be demanded of someone who has suffered a wrong. Nor does forgiveness absolve the wrongdoer of responsibility. The party that caused harm must take responsibility, while the party that suffered harm must remain free to determine their own path towards healing and forgiveness.
Overall a great read that made me think about our indigenous brethren with more sympathy, understanding and patience.
Thanks Dave. It’s hard to tell what is your summary and what is the authors viewpoint. Yes it’s a tragic story but there’s tragedy on many sides. As a country we owe our indigenous brothers and sisters a much deeper apology. As a church Canadian Catholics were certainly complicit – along with all other faith communities – in adopting Government programs at residential schools. Without question! But extending the “visual” to unverified interments is just bad faith! It is not hopeful for the future and not supportive of a decade plus of very hard collaborative work between indigenous and faith leaders to keep this campaign of suggestion alive. But it does sell books!