Province Issues Historic Apology to First Nations Band
Quesnel, B.C. – The healing process has finally begun for the people of the Tsilhqot’in.
This after the provincial government and Premier Christy Clark formally apologized in the legislative assembly for the wrongful hanging of six Tsilhqot’in war chiefs in 1864 and 1865 and stating the province’s plan to exonerate them this week.
“It’s huge. This is where reconciliation starts for us as Tsilhqot’in people,” says Tribal Chair Joe Alphonse.
“It’s been a long journey for us. It’s huge. It’s a big part of our history and the history of BC.”
That history includes the imprisonment of five chiefs, tried and executed in October 1864 after accepting an invitation to discuss terms of peace to end the Chilcotin War.
Another chief was hanged the following year. Alphonse says the apology stems from their aboriginal title win this year and fulfills a promise outlined last month between Victoria and the First Nation band.
He says he’d also like to see that history “worked into the curriculum of our schools.”
Alphonse says he’d now like to see the federal government rise to the occasion and do the same but so far hasn’t received a response.
“If you bump into Stephen Harper let him know the TNG is looking for him.”
Alphonse says Premier Clark will read the motion read in the legislature in Quesnel tomorrow as the TNG commemorates the 150 year anniversary of the hangings.
It will take from 10 am to noon outside G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital.
Comments
I didn’t know Christy was over 150 years old, sure don’t look it anyway.
That’s great ,now we can all move on. Was there an apology from the first nations for the murder of 19 road builders and one farmer? I must have misses that.
Missed .sorry to the grammar police for that.
One step at a time oldcoot. I like Alphonse’s sense of humour about Harper, LOL.
A step in the right direction! Since this occurred before Confederation (July 1 1867) Canada was in 1864/1865 still a British colony, i.e. under British rule. Has Britain ever apologized to the First Nations people for past wrongdoings and if so, when and how?
PrinceGeorge
A step in the right direction! Since this occurred before Confederation (July 1 1867) Canada was in 1864/1865 still a British colony, i.e. under British rule. Has Britain ever apologized to the First Nations people for past wrongdoings and if so, when and how?
You nail that PrinceGeorge! Looks to me like a form of job creation as well.
This woman is right out of the ball park.
Cheers
Bad stuff happened all throughout history, to all people.
oldcoot, I also missed hearing the apology for the murder of the 19 road builders and the farmer.
I’ve also yet to hear the many apologies due to Bands from each other for harms that were inflicted upon each other in the past. Seems history is full of accounts of Bands attacking and plundering neighbouring Bands. Why no demands for apologies for these events? The silence on these issues is deafening!!
Just imagine the uproar if this happened in this day and age. You invite them in to parlay peace talks….and then hang them. They didn’t even stoop this low in all the old duster movies…….
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