Humanist Canada Responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 25, 2015) - Humanist Canada, a National, Secular, Non Profit and registered Charitable Educational Organization has endorsed the broad scope of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation report into the operation of Indian Residential Schools. We call on the Canadian government to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples. "The enforced cultural and religious assimilation of children was wrong and it enabled physical and sexual abuse that occurred in many of the schools," said Humanist Canada President, Eric Thomas. He suggested that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission "paid insufficient attention to the culpability of Canada's churches", who resisted early federal attempts to close the schools.

Humanist Canada expresses concern with the Commission's use of the term "spiritual violence" which was defined as demeaning a person's religious traditions. "We are concerned that this term could be used to cut off reasonable discussion which is a clear infringement of free speech and personal evolution," said board member, Lloyd Robertson. "The goal of protecting children would be better served by recognizing that all forms of religious indoctrination of children are a form of child abuse."

For the full position Statement see www.humanistcanada.ca/about/news.