Residential schools not only affected survivors of residential schools, but also left legacies for future generations to come. Negative intergenerational effects include alcohol and drug abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), sexual abuse, physical abuse, low self esteem, dysfunctional families, eating disorders, teen pregnancy, suicide, depression, and others. Although the rates of these go up when comparing the average population to the aboriginal population, the rest of the world deals with them too. Some, like fetal alcohol syndrome, are incurable and hard to live with. Others, like depression or low self esteem are curable, preventable, and do not necessarily affect everyday life. Each of these intergenerational effects are arguable as to the level of involvement that residential schools have had. Take for example teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy is only 2.1% higher in First Nation's than Caucasian women in Canada as of 2008. The relevancy of residential schools playing a part in this statistic is very strongly deniable, because although parents may not be discussing this issue with their children among native families, the teenagers have been in the same abstinence-promoting school systems as any and all other children in Canada. The Canadian Government has helped to terminate these legacies as best it can without interfering, as aboriginal people need to make a choice to stop abuse on their own. In 1998, the Canadian Government established the Aboriginal Healing Foundation with a grant of $350M, and an additional $125M over the next five years. They have been given the right to distribute and utilize this money however they choose, which is another step towards self-healing.
People have used the term cultural genocide in cohesion with residential schools. Around 150,000 children attended residential schools, and anywhere from 6% to 69% died. In the holocaust, 6 million Jews died. Yet Jewish people have made a full recovery and are very successful in today's society. Not only this, but there are little to no remaining intergenerational effects left over from the Holocaust, perhaps because those affected were more resilient in continuing on with their lives. The Canadian Government has monetarily assisted victims of residential schools more than necessary to get their lives back on track.
On June 11, 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper executed a formal apology to those affected by residential schools on behalf of the Canadian Government. This was a huge step towards moving forward and diminishing the gap between First Nations and the rest of society. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine, who is a survivor himself of residential schools, commented that the occasion "testifies nothing less than the accomplishment of the impossible." Of all the Aboriginal leaders that spoke, none of them dared to doubt that the apology was insufficient in any way. In fact, everyone quoted was extremely pleased and overjoyed by this accomplishment. The Canadian Government felt little pressure to apologize as much time has passed since residential schools were abolished, but instead decided on its own to make amends. This is just one of facts demonstrating that the Government has done more than enough to end the sad chapter that is residential schools.
The Canadian Government has gone above and beyond the expectations for compensation and reconciliation to victims of residential schools. This has been shown through disputing the intergenerational effects, comparing residential schools to cultural genocide, and examining the formal apology made by Steven Harper. If more government compensation is offered, to what extent will First Nations use it to their overall benefit?
http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/fact-sheets.aspx#race
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ai/rqpi/hnh/index-eng.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
http://www.claimscon.org/index.asp?url=payments_benefits