Indian Residential Schools and the RCMP
On this page
For more than a century, the Canadian government removed 150,000 Indigenous children from their families and communities to attend government-funded Residential Schools.
In 2011, the RCMP released a report titled "The Role of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during the Indian Residential School system".
The report's findings
- There was a lack of trust between Indigenous Peoples and the RCMP.
- Many former students claimed they learned to fear the RCMP over the years. As a result, many didn't try to contact police.
- The RCMP were mostly present at Indian Residential Schools as "truant officers".
-
When requested, the RCMP:
- searched for and returned truants
- fined parents whose children did not go to school
- The RCMP assisted Indian Agents with the removal of children from their homes.
- The police helped Indian Agents bring children to schools, sometimes forcibly.
- RCMP members developed positive relationships with Indigenous youth.
- RCMP officers got involved in activities beyond their traditional role, such as music and sports.
- The RCMP did not know of the majority of abuse happening within the schools.
- During the interview process, many former students confirmed that the RCMP could not know about the abuse. Neither the students nor the school would have told them of these occurrences.
Apologies issued by the RCMP
2004 - Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli
In a speech delivered during the signing of the Public Safety Protocol between the Assembly of First Nations and the RCMP, former RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli apologized to Indigenous Peoples for the RCMP's involvement in the Indian Residential School system, May 2004.
...To those of you who suffered tragedies at Residential Schools, we are very sorry for your experience… Canadians can never forget what happened and they never should. The RCMP is optimistic that we can all work together to learn from this Residential School system experience and ensure that it never happens again… We - I, as Commissioner of the RCMP - am truly sorry for what role we played in the Residential School system and the abuse that took place in that system.
2014 - Commissioner Bob Paulson
In a speech delivered during a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission Event in Alberta, former RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson apologized to Indigenous Peoples affected by the Indian Residential School System for the RCMP's involvement, March 2014.
... I say to you all here today, as Commissioner of the RCMP, on behalf of the RCMP and on behalf of all men and women who comprise the RCMP or have ever been a part of it, I am deeply sorry for what has happened to you and the part my organization played in it.
For Commissioner Paulson's complete speech, visit the RCMP YouTube channel.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report on Residential Schools in 2015. It included 94 Calls to Action.
The RCMP is fully committed to supporting Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the rest of government in the implementation of these recommendations, and to reconciliation with Indigenous communities.
Read more
- The role of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during the Indian Residential School system
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
- Indian Residential Schools (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada)
- Date modified: