1880s–1990s
Forced assimilationSupplement
Canadian residential-school system expands
Canada; First Nations, Inuit and Métis children
State-supported, often church-run schools separated children from families and suppressed languages and cultures. Abuse, neglect and deaths accompanied the assimilation project; survivors later demanded recognition and reparations.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
The system had earlier roots and varied by region. Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission characterized it as cultural genocide.