Researcher
The problem is not your topic, but how you present it. I understand you didn't write the article, but its intent was to provoke an emotional response, and you got it.
There have been several books written about what the article claims. Residential Schools both in Canada and the US were used as a means of "assimilating" the indigenous populations into the new "western" society. When assimilation failed, intentional extermination was used. This happened moreso in Canada than the US for one simple reason. The US went to war with the Indian population (which led to an overt extermination via war or forced relocations), hence they were subdued and very few Residential Schools were needed.
British North America however decided to get rid of them the "covert" way, this has been a tactic of the British Empire since it swept over the planet. Australia, South Africa, India, all of them were intentionally (attempted) eradicated by injecting disease into the populations.
The problem with Canadians is that they haven't faced much of their past (no offense), hence why the issue with Native Americans or First Nations or however else you prefer to refer to the peoples of the Americas is constantly brought up. If you rely on Pierre Burtons "twist" on historical events to make it "colorful", then you get the wrong message. Pierre Burton attempted to make "Canadian" history interesting to Canadians, you're not going to do that easily by stating there was a systemic movement of eradication.
Canadian history does not give one the impression of a country that "evolved" into independence, it is steeped in quelled rebellions, fifth columns and war. You were the British Empire and dam proud of it (and I'm not arguing that point), but that pride comes with a price. There was nothing "noble" about the British Empire, and that's exactly who you were.
Americans have dug into history and is open for all to see and critisize, it's time Canadians do the same.
My two cents and no offense intended.
I agree. And that is why I want to get that name out at least in that thread. Because i want people to begin to question the idea that live wasn't great under residential schools and basically history that was told to us as Canadians in elementary and high school was a lie. Or half-truths.
And Residential schools could be seen as assimilating or just destroying a culture because what did they replace it with?