OTTAWA, June 11 (Reuters) - Canada, addressing one of the darkest chapters in its history, formally apologized on Wednesday for forcing 150,000 aboriginal children into grim residential schools, where many say they were sexually and physically abused.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper told a Parliamentary chamber packed with legislators and aboriginal representatives that there could be no excuses for what happened at the church-run schools, which mainly operated from the 1870s to the 1970s.
Many survivors say they were abused mentally, physically and sexually. Children were beaten for speaking their own languages and told they would be damned unless they converted to Christianity.
In May 2006, Canada reached a C$1.9 billion ($1.9 billion) settlement with the roughly 90,000 school survivors.
Gee, I wonder if the Canadian government will ever apologize to Ezra Levant
And the writings and comments of Levant even compare.
He is on some rant, while the government of Canada wanted a people to be the same as all the rest and used forceful tactics to try and reach the goal.
My former father in law was one of the students and he was told, over and over again, to forget his culture and become white and of one faith.
As a matter of fact, they do compare, I've done a little homework. Thus, my reason for making such a comparison.
Anyone familiar with Levant's "rant" about being hauled in by the HRC due to one radical Muslim's misguided desire and attempt at applying Sharia law in Canada should be able to easily see how these compare.
It should be obvious to anyone who is not ignorant of Levant's widely publicized situation, why all the money Levant spent to defend himself, should not only get an apology, but should be reimbursed for his legal fees.
I guess it's my fault for some people failing to see the connection since I presumed people would be familiar with how Levant was abused by the Canadian government .
To become what they are not, forced to forget their ways by a government in chorus with religious leaders.
Levant is one person. Did Levant loose his cultural roots or have his family taken away from him.