HOMEWORK: Due Tues/Wed
- The Canadian Federal & Provincial Governments have a long list of apologies made to a variety of groups that were wronged in the past. Check out the here —> Timeline List of Canadian Gov’t Apologies
- Consider the following questions as you watch the videos:
- Consider the quote by Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper who stated: “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission”. Qs: Are we doing this (being unfair) currently to any groups in Canada? Around the world? For what issues/wrongs and/or to whom will we be making apologies in the future for what we’re doing now?
- Qs: Is this a positive change by our governments or is it just an easy way out?Is an official government apology enough? Is it a genuine move towards reconciliation? Would it be enough for you? Consider the ideas in this article — > “You Can’t Drink an Apology” Maclean’s Magazine
- Consider former PM Pierre Trudeau’s comments: “I do not think it is the purpose of a government to right the past. It cannot rewrite history.” Former prime minister Pierre Trudeau in 1984, rejecting a proposal from Mulroney about an apology for Japanese Canadians. Qs: What more could the governments do to make right the wrongs of the past? Is it fair to make a current government responsible for histories wrongs? Is it even possible to make up for what was done to groups in the past? Should we – Canadian Gov’ts & people – even bother to try to reconcile?
- Canadian Government Apologies Videos –
- Apology for Residential Schools – 2008
- Apology to Indigenous ppls for the 60s Scoop
- Apology to Japanese Canadians- 1988
- Apology to Inuit for TB mistreatment – 2019
- Apology for Africville
- Apology for Kamagata Maru incident- 2016
- Apology for the Chinese Head Tax
- Apology for mistreatment of LGBTQ+ – 2017
- Apology for Turning away German Jews WW2 – 2017
- Apology & exoneration for Chief Poundmaker – May 2019