If you’ve been watching the news the past couple of days, you might have seen greater attention to Indian Hospitals in Canada than perhaps ever before.
First, there was Lauren Pelley’s article “Mistreated” detailing the history and legacy of Indian Hospitals yesterday in CBC News.
Today, APTN news and other outlets announced that a 1.1B class action suit has been filed.
Thank you to Ann Hardy and other former patients for standing in their truth, and finding enough courage to come forward. Your healing journeys have led you to the place where you can help speak for others who have already passed – or who aren’t in a place where they can speak up.
I can imagine this might be a tough time for some former patients and family members as it gets more and more public, and more memories are dredged up. I hope anyone affected will take extra gentleness with themselves, and will reach out for the help they need.
And, in the name of reconciliation, I hope that those who used to work at these hospitals or in the system, will open their ears and minds and hearts, to sit with the knowledge as the nurse who was interviewed in the Edmonton Heritage Council’s documentary did. To not go immediately to defensiveness or fear or hurt or anger, but to listen and try and hear these experiences.
As for me, I will continue my research into the Charles Camsell Indian Hospital and my own blind spots. Because I truly hope that when we know better, we do better.
Click here for a video of Annie Michael’s experiences.
If you’d like more information on the class action suit or would like to come forward as a witness, please contact lawyer Steven Cooper: [email protected]. This is the website for Steven’s firm in AB/North, which is working in conjunction with Koski Minsky.
ghosts of camsell 