One-fifth of Albertans admit they know nothing about residential schools: survey

EDMONTON – Nearly one-in-five Albertans admit they know nothing about the residential school system.

As more graves are being discovered at residential school sites across the country, a new survey hopes to pressure the provincial government to add more of Canada’s history into our school’s curriculum.

According to the survey, commissioned by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the Assembly of First Nations, only nine per cent of Albertans are very familiar with the history of the residential school system, and nearly 20 per cent know nothing about it.

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Over a quarter, 28 per cent, of Albertans polled were shocked by the news of the discovery of the remains in Kamloops, and 34 per cent were not conscious of the gravity of how bad the abuses at the residential schools were.

“To me, that is quite alarming–not even knowing about this part of Canada’s history,” said Metis and Cree activist Roy Pogorzelski who is originally from Saskatchewan.

He says the discovery of 751 unmarked graves at a former residential school in southern Saskatchewan–the most significant found in Canada to date–is deeply emotionally.

“We can’t even imagine the type of pain and re-traumatization that this will bring up in the community.”

One way Canada can move forward in the spirit of truth and reconciliation, he says, is educating Canadians on the country’s true history, adding the First Nation, Metis, and Indigenous lens into Alberta’s school curriculum.

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“We need to talk about Canada’s history authentically and truthfully. We can’t shy away from what has happened in our country’s history,” he said.

According to the poll, Albertans want to learn more about Canada’s past.

Nearly two-thirds of Albertans polled would like to see an increase in Indigenous history education in the school curriculum.

Fifty-nine percent of Albertans feel that there isn’t enough about the legacy of residential schools taught to students.

Almost 70 per cent believe that what is taught about residential schools is downplayed.

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• Concerns over quotation marks when referring to residential school survivors in UCP draft curriculum
• Alberta UCP curriculum advisor denies Kamloops burial site part of Indigenous genocide
• ‘Infuriating’: Indigenous activist says comments from curriculum advisor are ‘intentional hate’

The province’s new draft K to 6 curriculum has been under fire, with critics calling it “a whitewashing of history.”

A spokesperson for Alberta’s education minister tells CityNews in part, “In the current curriculum, residential schools are not taught until grade 10. The new draft curriculum will introduce this far sooner and in much more detail.”

The statement goes on to say that the draft is just that–a draft.

READ MORE: Draft curriculum getting failing grade from Indigenous groups

“All Albertans, are encouraged to provide feedback” before it’s implemented in fall 2022,” the ministry said.