Residential schools in Canada were mandated as part of a government policy aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples into Euro-Canadian culture. The government believed that Indigenous cultures and languages were inferior and sought to "civilize" Indigenous children by placing them in these schools, often far from their families and communities. The plan was to educate them in English, promote Western values, and strip them of their cultural identity.
The process began in the 19th century and continued into the late 20th century, often through legislation and agreements with various churches that administered these schools. The intention was to integrate Indigenous children into mainstream society, but this resulted in significant trauma, cultural loss, and abuse for many individuals and communities.
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