Australia’s “Blemished Chapter”       
Alisa Gorokhova - First Year Political Science Student
 Australian Apology for the Stolen Generation could force Canadian Government into Similar Apology

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made international headlines last February by publicly apologising for the injustices inflicted on the Aboriginal population. 

Rudd expressly apologised to the members of the “Stolen Generation” – children from the 1800s to the 1960s who were removed from their families and their communities in an attempt by the government to assimilate them into white society.

The motion was passed unanimously by Australian parliament. It acknowledged the “past mistreatment” of the Aboriginal population, as well as apologising for “successive government and governments that have inflicted profound grief, and loss on these our fellow Australians.” 

Rudd labelled the Stolen Generation “the blemished chapter” of Australian history, and requested that this apology “be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.”

“We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians. A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.”

This view is a change from the official position held by the Parliament under the leadership of Rudd’s Liberal predecessor, John Howard. During his decade in office Howard refused to publicly apologise to the Stolen Generation, stating Australians should not be held accountable for the actions of past governments.

Howard refused to attend the official parliamentary apology, despite the fact that all members of parliament were required to attend.

Nevertheless, the motion was welcomed by the current leader of the opposing Liberal party.

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine, hopes the Canadian government will make a similar apology.

"It's quite a statement. It's of great significance — monumental. It's a special moment for the country. It's inspirational and sets a very high standard," Fontaine said.

In the last throne speech, the Conservatives indicated that the government would launch a commission into Canada’s Aboriginal schools, and “use this occasion to make a statement of apology to close this sad chapter in our history.”

"We hope that Canada's apology that was promised in the recent speech from the throne will be as significant and as sincere as the Australian government's apology,” Fontaine said in an interview with the CBC.

The Canadian government would most likely apologise to the victims of the Canadian residential school system, the Canadian equivalent of the Australian policy.

Brad Greyeyes-Brant is an Aboriginal student currently studying Political Science at Carleton University. His relatives, including his grandmother and uncle, were placed the residential school system in their youth.

“The main issue was that there were primitive people that had to be enlightened and brought to the white man’s level. It is hard to find a noble intention in that,” said Greyeyes-Bryant. “The intention in the first place was the problem – trying to turn natives into white Christian Canadians.”

Greyeyes-Brant believes that, if the Canadian government were to apologize, it would help, if only for the honesty.