Those will be dealt with elsewhere. Across the country, the Government has acknowledged its legal liability to individuals who have suffered physical or sexual abuse at Indian Residential Schools. We have already had discussions with your tribal council about an alternative dispute resolution process, where questions of liability and financial compensation can be settled quickly and fairly. But, today, we are here to talk about healing. About a new relationship, founded on trust and respect.
Reconciliation is an ongoing process.
I believe that the step which we are about to take today is a significant one, but it is only part of a larger process of renewal. Our efforts to work together on a healing strategy to assist both individuals and communities in dealing with the legacies of the Indian Residential School system must continue, both on a local and on a national level. And so, as I read the following words, I am looking to the future, a future based on mutual respect. Attitudes of racial and cultural superiority led to a suppression of Aboriginal culture and values. One of the things we have learned is that Canada needs to acknowledge its role in the development and administration of this system and the impact this system has had on your lives.