Maybe there really is a god? At least, for steve harper. Could he have prayed for a more desirable issue than this?
A group representing tens of thousands of poor children shipped in the early part of the last century from Britain to Canada where many worked as child labourers is pleased with a planned apology from the British prime minister.They are not asking for money, just an apology. Right up harper's alley, tell them what they want to hear and it doesn't even have to be sincere! The bonus being he'll fool a few more Canadians in the process.
Sidney Baker, 76, of Home Children Canada, says he's also expecting an apology from the Canadian government for the treatment of about 100,000 children who were scooped off streets in the U.K and shipped to Canada from the 1860s to the mid 1930s.
Baker says the victim and their families have never asked for compensation from the Canadian government but only for an apology.
Speaking from his home in Sidney, B.C., Baker said Sunday he is delighted by the move in Britain, saying his group has been working on recognition since 1991.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized Monday for the treatment of thousands of children shipped to Australia, just days after the British government said Prime Minister Gordon Brown would apologize for the child migrant programs.
In all, 150,000 poor British children, some as young as three, were shipped to the former colonies, with the vast majority sent to Canada.
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I think Rudd's apology was necessary, I felt tremendous relief & acknowledgment...I am no longer a non-entity.
ReplyDeleteI am a former child migrant, sent from England to Australia in 1953 - I was 8 years of age.
I suffered really badly (chamber of horrors) for many years as a result of abuse, deprivation etc.
Fortunately (through the grace of God) after many years of counselling, I made a complete recovery.
Sadly many former child migrants (from my experience) don't really come to terms with their history
God bless you
Michael
Well, Michael, it seems that the harper government is unwilling to apologize, so the best I can offer you is my sincere apology for what you and the others went through. Regardless of the era, it's despicable.
ReplyDeleteAnd that was sort of the point of my post. How difficult of a task would it have been for this regime to say "On behalf of Canada, we apologize for our involvement."
I'm sure it would have a positive effect for everyone involved, especially the victims.