Conclusion
Cultural genocide still lingers on today because we, as Canadians, are uneducated about the treatment that indigenous people experienced at the residential schools that occurred in our own backyard. I have talked to numerous adults about residential schools and often their response is "Well, why does it matter? It happened many years ago." This happens because Canadians have learned nothing about indigenous history or struggles they have faced, which makes the problem seem insignificant. To raise awareness and look for solutions to resolve this issue, I hope that all Canadians choose to educate themselves so they have an open understanding of how these people were treated. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit a residential school where I gain a true appreciation of the hard ships the indigenous children lived through. The impact this experience has allowed me to become more knowledgeable, but more importantly empathic. My hope is that more people also experience the same, in order to give the respect back to the indigenous people, that they so rightfully deserve. To paraphrase WDHS teacher Nathan Tidridge "education was once used as a weapon, and now it can be the key to reconciliation." There has been a start to this process of healing through the recently released Truth and Reconciliation. If we support the truth and reconciliation, the indigenous people can receive what they were rightfully promised during the first treaties made 200 years ago. We cannot fix the past but if we work together we can end cultural genocide in Canada.
Idle No More