By WILBUR ABRAHAMS

In the middle of this century [ was
sent to Alert Bay Residential school.

The first thing we were taught was to
obey the staff and to be completely
obedient toward them. We learned to fol-
low the rules and regulations as set out by
our superiors,

‘I did that, on the day a staff member or-
dered me to take my pants down. I knew
that if I didn’t I would be severely physical-
ly punished.

1 did not understand why the staff member at
the residential school wanted me to take my
pants down. Ail I knew is that! did not want my
hands to be strapped again, so J did as the staff
member requested.

When he was done with me J] felt humiliated,
degraded, shame and anger. That endured for
many years, even after I was kicked out of
residential school in 1957.

The school booted me out because they could

not control me any more. Unfortunately my un-
truly behaviour continued even after my depar-
ture from residential school.
‘T-am lucky — I am a survivor of residential
school. Many of my fellow students have com-
mitted suicide, tumed to alcohol and drugs, and
died,

~When-I look back on it in the summer of
1950, .1 was 10 years old. I was really excited
about it all. I remember my mother took us
shopping, for new clothes. Myself, and my two

’ sisters aged eight and six.

I still recall the excitement of trying on new
clothes, Everything was new. Mom told us kids
we were going to go away ta residential school,
in Aler! Bay.

“Of course we didn’t know where Alert Bay

was, Mom just said it will take two days and 4.

night to get there, and we were leaving on a4
steamship, I’d always wanted to tavel on a

steamship. We were excited, not really knowing
-what was coming ahead of us.

- And finally we left, we stopped at various
ports and more and more kids would get on the
steamer. I was happy to see so many kids in one
place.

When we got there, to Alert Bay, I learned
some of the kids were traveling on to a different
school. Most of the kids got off at Alert Bay. I
can still remember all of us getting on to a pick
up truck, It was so crowded, that’s why I re-
member it,

When we got to the school I distinctly remem-
ber trying to follow my sisters, but I didn’t
know we were being separated. The principal
grabbed my left ear to stop me from following
my sisters, and he was yelling that I was not al-
lowed on the girls side of the building.

I went into shock, I fully believe my:soul left.
me at that moment, and I, became; like, a, robot, ,.
.The excitement was gone and the nightmare be- -

gan ta tee.
“It came to me that I was alone. Separated from

- my parents, uncles, aunts, sisters and friends at

home. Most of all I missed my sisters.

I can’t remember how long I went without
conlact with my sisters, but the day did come
when we were allowed to talk to the girls. Un-
fortunately by that time we Jost each other. I
mean it was never the same.

After that staff member at the residential
school had sexually assaulted men in 1952 or
1953 I was lost.

I can’t remember much after this experience.
The excitement of being in school had left me. I
remember being a very angry person, I used to
obey the rules and regulations the school set
down for us.

I used to be obedient to the staff. Not any
move: The pain, shame, humiliation and anger
boiled over and I became uncontrollable.

‘The year 1 was kicked out of school, al-

From front

‘Sorry’ comes too late

Ottawa’s residential school apology misses the fallen victims

WILBUR ABRAHAMS says the apology for mistreatment of natives like himself in
residential schools is a start ~~ but it comes too little, too late.

coholism became the centrepiece of my life. I
found out thal if I drank enough alcohol, I
would black-out. That’s when | felt comfort-
able. [ didn’t feel the anger, resentments and
humiliation any more.

Drinking became my life, Alcohol was my
main priorily in whatever ] was doing, I never
realized that all the anger came out when [ was
dink,

df we did not own this land, if we

were.not-born here or if we did

not have our roots here, maybe
we would have received a real
apology and huge compensation
package like the Japanese.

1 was a slave to alcohol, and this continued for
23 years. Ten of those | spent on Vancouver
skid row.

And now in January of this year 1998, the
government of Canada made a statement of
reconciliation to the First Nations who went to
residential schools.

They mentioned they were ‘‘deeply sorry’’,
for those who experienced the tragedy of sexual
and physical abuse at the residential schools. It
isn’t right. It isn't enough.

When I heard this so-called apology I felt the
old Willie coming back again. 1 could feel
myself going back to the way I used to be.

After reading again the statement of recon-

ciliation I began to realize and appreciate the
work they must have put into the apology.

Unfortunately for me, it’s too late. Too late
for my brothers and sisters passed on. [ believe
they too suffered the tragedy of physical and
sexual abuse.

It's unfortunate the apology took too long, ]
imagine there was lots of conflicts before get-
ting to this point of the apology.

If we did not own this land, if we were not
born here or if we did not have our roots here,
maybe we would have received a real apalogy
and huge compensation package like ones for
individuals like the Japanese. The government
made a big issue out of that apology.

The dollars for healing isn’t going to be
enough for those that attended residential school
— what about the people who were affected by
those pecple?

There will be someone who will find a way to
spend that money and not put it toward healing.
It’s sad to say, but it’s the truth.

As for me, I will continve praying for those
who have not made disclosures. They have their
own reasons and they make their own decisions.

I've found in order for me to live a kind of
sane life I’ve had to do something about what
happened to me.

For me God has forgiven me for all my sins so
I can live with myself today and know I’m okay
and that I can change with the help and direc-
tion of God.

Wilbur Abrahams is a Terrace resident and is
on the board of directors of the Kermodei
Friendship Centre.

3itxsan forge ‘moderate’ path

Ryan says he’s urging quick action because
the goverment must act to counter the chilling
effect the court decision has had on resource
companies and potential major developments.

“The big issue for everybody is lo provide
some kind of certainty and economic stability.
Those are the two areas we’re concemed about
and I’m sure it’s a major concem for all of the
people in the area.”’

Natives, provincial and federal officials have
been scrambling in recent weeks to determine
what the December court ruling means.

The B.C, First Nations summit responded by
calling for a 60-day moratorium on resource de-
velopment in the province to allow time for
analysis of the decision.

Many B.C. native groups are wondering if
they aren’t better off shelving treaty negotia-
tions and launching court actions themselves to
assert aboriginal title to the land.

The Nisga’a so far say they believe they are
on track and aren’t planning a major change in
direction from the treaty they are close to com-
pleting.

But the Nisga’a Tribal Council is also under
significant internal pressure to re-examine their
course, says Willard Martin, a hereditary chief
from the Nisga’a village of Kincolith,

Several families there are unhappy because
the Nisga’a decision to accept just eight per cent
of their traditional territory as core lands will
cutout some families’ territory near Kincolith.

“There’s a lot of unrest,” says Martin, adding
he and others are seeking legal advice in light of

the court decision.
The Haisla and Tsimshian have. both. reaf-

fired their intention to stay in the treaty. pro-

cess and are not planning to ‘launch court ac- ©

tions.

*.
5

Don Ryan Gerald Wesley

But Tsimshian chicf negotiator Gerald Wesley
says the Gitxsan success has made that route
look more altractive.

‘That option has been considered and may be
considered stronger in the future but at this
point in time we maintain our commitment to
negoliations,”’ Wesley said, conceding there is
vigourous debate on the topic, ‘‘Some of our
smembers say maximum leverage isn’t in negoti-
ations any more.”’

Wesley says the province must make major
changes to the way business is now done with
natives.

“‘We’re leaning on the two levels of govern-
ment to come out and announce what they're
doing with regards to changes to policies that

~ gre a burden to us.

“We expect there should be radical changes.”

Wesley said the court decision is likely to re-

quire much greater consultation with natives —
and perhaps cven their consent — for resource
use to go on while treaties are being negotiated.

“'We don’t want to see new licences issued
while negotiations are proceeding,’’ he said.

Natives also think the ruling opens the door to
compensation for past resource extraction —
something that could put the bill for each land
claim settlement into the billions.

And finally, the Gitxsan ruling appears to tor-
pedo the idea that treaties can Jimil natives to
only a small fraction of their traditional terri-
tory.

Wesley says it’s hard to view the ruling as
anything less than a vindication of the Gitxsan
position that some form of co-management
could also be an option,

‘The government is really in a position right
now that something has to happen,’ Ryan adds.

His letier to Clark calls the proposal for a for-
mal bilateral process “our gesture fo your
government to provide certainty and protect the
fragile B.C. cconomy.’”

He said the Gitxsan proposal includes a leng-
thy list of items for discussion, including: areas
of co-management, veto rights, consultation
standards, priority harvesting rights, revenue
sharing, compensation, taxation powers, legisla-
tion reform, economic initiatives, social devel-
opment _intitiatives,. and reconcilliation of
Gitxsan governance and provincial jurisdiction.

Ryan rejects suggestions that the talks he his
in mind will amount to his terms for B.C.’s sur-
render,

“I'm supposed to be the evil guy, yet [’m still
talking in terms of moderate approaches to

everything,’’ he said.

- Ryan’said he will be tabling a similar proposal
for talks with the federal government.

“The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 18,1998 - AS
a

CORRESPONOERCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

No Big Brothers here

Dear Sir:

Like most Skeena residents I’ve had enough of the
recall campaign and was prepared to let it go unlil the
article in your paper picturing four fire enthusiasts
thumbing their nose at the law and again blaming the
unions for their own defeat,

To bum the petition if unsuccessul io ‘‘protect’’ sig-
ners, but to make names public if successful defics
logic. Arc they suggesting that if Helmut Giesbrecht
was recalled that would ‘‘protect’’ people against
unions and other perceived ‘‘evil forces’’?

I suggest that the bonfire was lit not to protect anyone
other than then foursome by hiding the fact they failed
more miserably than they have stated.

The statement that they failed because people are
scared is, of course, nonsense. But it can not be proven
as these people are too scared to come forward —
right? That union members, including government em-
ployees, according to their protectors Sexton and
Rosenau, did not sign has nothing to do with being
afraid but has everything to do with what their union
stands for, namely understanding democracy and fair
play. .

The union is not some outside force but the collective
wisdom and strength of its members, The union does
not harass its members on behalf of employers or the
government but when needed represents the members
against the wrong doing by employers, whether they
are Bovernment or not.

Should the petition burners want to know how the
responsbilities of unions and the protection of individu-
al members are enforced by law, go to the labour rela-
tions office and get a copy of the act. It is free — don’t
burn it,

Having served as president and executive for the
Kitimat-Terrace Labour Council for almost 40 yeats, I
have had conlacl with a great number of its 5,000 af-
filiated members, J have yet to meet anyone afraid of
their union or government or any other imaginary Big
Brother.

John Jensen,
Terrace, B.C.
Burning issue
An open letter to oo
Lorne Sexton et al
Dear Sirs:

The Feb. 11 The Terrace Standard shows you bum-
ing the recall petition after failing to obtain the neces-
sary signatures in order to protect the secrecy of your
supporters who signed it.

As men of integrity, would you have been equally
dedicated to healing our community and to protecting
the secrecy of your supporters if you had actually ob-
tained the required number of signatures? Would you
have buried those lists as well?

Please read the Book of Daniel, 5:27.

Jerry Reitman,
Terrace, B.C.
Do you havea job? °-
Dear Sir:

I attended a union convention in Vancouver in 1990.
The NDP had not been elected to government. Glen
Clark was the MLA for Vancouver East and a guest
speaker.

The following is a direct quote of Mr. Clark’s as [
read it from the minutes of that convention. “‘Number
one, if we get elected, it's quite cleat — you all know
this, but I want to iepeat it for you — Bill 19 will be
abolished within the first week of an NDP administra-
tion,”? |

Now I have not been able to find out for certain but |
believe that Bill 19 is still pretty much intact, please
correct me if I’m wrong. Bill 19, as anybody who was
proactive on behalf of unions at the time knows, was a
big selling point by the union executives to the mem-
bership on a good reason to elect an NDP goverment.

The years pass and most of us have learned that the
NDP is no better than Social Credit was. Indeed Social
Credit would legislate us back to work, which I now
believe was preferable to being legislated out of work
by the NDP as in the case of the Kemano Completion
Project,

Now Mr. Clark has
organized a commiltec
to represent the people
of the northern part of
B.C, to create jobs, etc.
It is my understanding
that an individual from
Prince George was put
on this committee to
represent labour, while a
businessman from Ter-
face was put on to
represent, [ suppose
business, as if they don’t have enough representation
already.

During the shut down of the Kemano Completion
Project, the city of Prince George continued to prosper
what with the millions of dollars spent by the NDP to
build a university in that city. All the while we waited
with high unemployment.

As it looks now, a good portion of the capital put up
by government Alcan will likely be used to build a cold
water release at the Skin’s Lake Spillway. Again,
Prince George will benefit greatly as this is in a closer
proximity to that community and most labour will like-
ly be provided from that area of the province.

As for Terrace, well it’s anybody’s guess. Mine
would be that this committee will spend moncy
promoting tourism on behalf of a handful of businesses
such as guides, sports shops, and hotels.

One question —- have any of you loggers, coustruc-
tion workers miners, or mill workers made a dollar off
a tourist yet?

The years pass
and most of us
have learned that
the NDP is no
better than Social
Credit was.

Allan Grier, Terrace B.C.

The Terrace Standard welcomes Iet-
ters to the editor. Our deadiine is noon
Friday. You can mail us at 3210 Clinton
St, Terrace, B.C. V8G SR2 or fax us at
250-638-8432 or email us at

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