Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the United Church’s understanding of reconciliation?

The sixth principle adopted by the General Council Executive in 2003 to guide the church’s response to the legacy of residential schools is the following:

“In all that we do in relation to our responsibility for the residential schools system, the goal of working toward right relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples should always be uppermost in our thoughts, words, and actions. By doing so, we will honour the gift that comes from our Creator, ‘who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and [who] has give us the ministry of reconciliation’(2 Cor. 5:18). We will also be honouring the invitation from the Aboriginal members of our church to ‘walk hand in hand.’”

There are many definitions of reconciliation throughout the world. The Greek word used in Corinthians is katallasso. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, reconciliation has to do with a mutual change, and restoration to (the divine) favour. Thus our relationships with one another are connected to our relationship with God. The Latin word re and callare literally means to “call together again or make friendly again.”

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we are reminded that in Christ, we are a new creation. In the poem “Reconciliation” by Rebecca Tabobodung, she writes “we will gently whisper the circle back and it will be old and it will be new” (A Healing Journey for Us All, United Church of Canada, 2006). In reconciliation, then, we are not merely going back to a former state of mutual respect and friendship, if it ever existed, but are forging something new in full recognition of the past.

Choice Okoro, United Church program officer for Human Rights and Reconciliation Initiatives, says that reconciliation is empty without justice. It involves consistent and intentional concrete adjustments in unequal power relations.

There are specific skills, attitudes, and gifts that are important for “those who have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19) but reconciliation is an ongoing process where the journey is the destination. There is no formula. Choice suggests that one must learn to let go of the control of the outcome as well as the need to appear “good.” Surrender to the unknown in faith, recognizing that God’s work takes us beyond our imagination.

Derek Evans likens practising reconciliation and dialogue to “speaking a new language that we are struggling to learn” (Women’s Concerns, issue 3, 2005). Many find the principles of restorative justice and the experiences of truth and reconciliation processes helpful in thinking differently about how to repair broken relations.

“In the grace of God, reconciliation is a real and present possibility. Ultimately, though, it is a gift we cannot control. We can only open ourselves to it and create spaces where it can happen. We must be ready to live out our apologies”

A Healing Journey for Us All, United Church of Canada, 2006).

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2. What is the role of the Residential Schools Steering Committee?

The General Council Executive created the Residential Schools Steering Committee on June 28, 1998, as a group of staff and volunteers to “co-ordinate all aspects of the issues related to residential schools, including the legal, pastoral, communications, alternate resolution possibilities and healing initiatives, and financial planning.” The committee regularly reports and makes recommendations to the Executive of General Council.

Currently the committee is made up of two representatives from each of the B.C. Native Ministries Council, the All Native Circle Conference, and Ontario Native congregations. Also on the committee are Residential School staff, the Moderator, the General Secretary, legal counsel, the Chief Archivist, staff from Aboriginal Ministries, the General Council Minister for Racial and Gender Justice, the General Council Communications Officer, and a General Council Executive member.

The committee meets for three days, three times a year and holds at least one meeting per year in a community outside of Toronto in order to learn more about the sites of former residential schools or meet with former students.

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3. What is the Healing Fund and what has it been able to accomplish?

The Healing Fund was established by the General Council in 1994 to help First Nations communities respond to the painful impacts of the residential school experience. Initially a five-year fundraising and educational project with a goal of $1 million, the fund now has an annual budget of $300,000 and continues to serve as a source of financial support for Aboriginal communities and projects addressing the long-term impacts of residential schools on former students, their families, and communities.

Since its inception, the fund has provided opportunities for Elders, men, women, youth, families and communities to gather in healing circles and ceremonies, share their stories of the residential school experience, teach their languages, share cultural teachings, and address the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual abuse suffered at the schools and the intergenerational impacts.

In 2004, the Healing Fund was re-mandated and in 2005 a full-time coordinator was employed to enhance the ministry of the fund. The Healing Fund is financed from the Morrison bequest but individual and congregational contributions continue to be welcomed.

For more information, see The Healing Fund.

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4. Does the United Church recognize the ministry of former employees of the schools?

Over the generations many United Church folk answered the call of their church to serve in residential schools through either the Board of Home Missions or the Women’s Missionary Society. In its 1998 apology, the United Church confessed its complicity in a system that, from our current perspective, was wrong. By so doing, the church did not call into question the personal dedication and self-sacrifice of many who worked in the schools. Several staff pointed out the shortcomings in the operation of the schools, and urged the church to end its involvement long before 1969. Most staff did not know of the physical and sexual abuse being perpetrated by a few, and feel particularly betrayed by fellow workers who deeply hurt children in their care.

In March 2000, the church held a national gathering of former workers to hear their stories and to express the appreciation of the church for their ministry. At the gathering, a former student of the Alberni school addressed them. He was highly critical of the system for the impact it had on individuals and the community. However, be began his remarks by saying, “First, my elders would want me to thank you for what you did in the schools.”

Resource videos are available on staff perspectives: “The Awakening of Elizabeth Shaw” and “Remembering Our History with First Nations People” (with Jessie Oliver) in AVEL West*.

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5. What is the United Church’s relationship to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and other Aboriginal groups, including survivors’ groups?

There are about 60 to 80 First Nations occupying 633 communities on more than 2,000 reserve territories, located in every province and territory of Canada except Nunavut. The Assembly of First Nations (AFN)* is made up of all the elected chiefs of the 633 communities. The National Chief of the AFN is Phil Fontaine. Staff members related to the Residential Schools Steering Committee of the United Church have regularly attended AFN meetings and have nurtured co-operative working relationships on a number of issues related to residential schools.

There are three other key groups representing First Peoples with which we relate. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples* represents off-reserve First Nations and its National Chief is Patrick Brazeau. The Métis National Council* is led by President Clement Chartier. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami*, the national Inuit organization, is headed by President Mary Simon.

According to the 2001 census, 608,850 people reported being North American Indian, an increase just over 15 percent from the 1996 census. This is about 2 percent of the total Canadian population and 62 percent of the 976,305 people who reported being Aboriginal. Only about half of the North American Indian population lives on reserve; and about half of the population is less than 23.5 years old. The average population size of First Nations communities in Canada is 500. There are 53 language groups among the First Nations of Canada.

Over the past several years, we have worked closely with the B.C. Indian Residential Schools Survivors’ Society*, particularly in the Roundtable meetings to develop a Truth and Reconciliation process. Recently, a National Indian Residential Schools Survivors’ Society* has been formed to support and coordinate survivor groups across the country. The United Church is committed to supporting survivor voices and interests in addressing the legacy of residential schools.

The United Church supports approximately 65 primarily Native ministries across Canada, the majority being in B.C. and Manitoba. The issues that Aboriginal people face are many and varied, and are deeply rooted in the impact of colonialism and the interpretation of treaties. The United Church is a member of KAIROS*, an ecumenical coalition of justice groups, one of which is the Aboriginal Rights Coalition where we listen to and learn from Native leadership on various issues such as land claims, self-governance, and Indigenous rights.

A 2002 survey conducted by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs found that First Nations people think that lack of education is the most important challenge facing Aboriginal children and youth today. Given that the church played a fundamental yet flawed role in offering education in the past, is there an appropriate role for the church now? In order to support the development of Native education for and by Aboriginal peoples, the first requirement is to listen.

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6. As an individual, what can I do to be part of the healing process?

Reading the residential schools section of this website is a first step. For a more in-depth look at the history and experience of residential schools, we recommend reading Shingwauk’s Vision by Jim Miller, From Our Mothers’ Arms by Constance Deiter, A National Crime by John Molloy, and Stolen from Our Embrace by Suzanne Fournier and Ernie Grey.

Learning more about residential schools may provoke disturbing thoughts and questions about the mission of the church, regarding the past, present, and future. How can the church witness to the good news of Jesus Christ while not promoting certain cultural values or dominating another people? How can the teachings of other spiritual communities enlighten our own faith journey?

Please seek support and opportunities for discussion about your feelings and questions. The next question addresses ideas for engaging your congregation on this issue. Share what you are learning with your co-workers and friends. Make a point of learning if you are party to a specific treaty.

Look for opportunities to get to know your Aboriginal neighbours. Make a contribution to the Healing Fund. Pray particularly for those who work in Native ministries and reconciliation work. A proverb of Lao Tzu’s says “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This journey of healing will take many, many steps. None will be insignificant.

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7. What can congregations do to live out our church’s apologies to First Nations Peoples?

• Seek out opportunities to listen to the experience of those who were involved in residential schools. The All Native Circle Conference and the B.C. Conference Native Ministries Council have both offered to be resources to congregations.
• Native educational centres within the United Church such as the Sandy-Saulteaux Spiritual Centre* and the Vancouver School of Theology Native Ministries Consortium* can also be resources. Connect with local First Nations organizations outside the church.
• Become familiar with video resources related to residential schools. The most extensive collection is at AVEL West*. They have a special videography related to this topic. The key United Church resource for congregations is a study guide and DVD entitled Toward Justice and Right Relationship: A Beginning.
• The Justice and Reconciliation Fund provides financial resources to assist projects that bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples together. Criteria and application forms are online.
• Find more ideas on What Can Congregations Do in Response to the Legacy of Residential Schools?