On this date in 2005, Canadians, through their federal government, started to confront the terrible legacy of their nation’s dark history of Indigenous residential schools. It was 16 years ago today that the Chretien Government announced a compensation package for school survivors worth approximately $2 billion dollars.In making part of the announcement, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler described the school system as "the single most harmful, disgraceful and racist act in our history."In many ways, however, the journey towards reconciliation was only beginning. National Chief Phil Fontaine of the Assembly of First Nations played the leading role in negotiating the compensation with the federal government and is widely credited today for placing the issue on Canada’s agenda.
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.