From the phone lines:

Windspeaker asked its readers what they thought of the federal response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report, and this is what they told us:

This government would like all Aboriginals to pack their bags and leave. This country tried the first form of germ warfare when the English brought the small pox-infested blankets and killed two out of every three Indians. Then syphillus, alcohol, drugs, despair and AIDS. They spiced that with what thay call assimilation. They riped our parents from our grandparents hands. They were going to teach these savages. They denied our language. They destroyed any foundation to positive child development. When our parents tried to raise us on no income, no self-esteem, no role model of success, the government sat back and smiled.

Three hundred and fifty million divided by half of million people for program development, equals what, $700 for training, or a shrine . . for each Indian. And that's not counting the Métis, I'm just counting the treaty Indian. If the Indian was to be given fair value according the 1763 British North American act and the proceeds this country has used from the raping of our resources, this country could not afford to run itself. Now they insult all the victims or off-spring with this slap in the face. I thank God that my parents are gone and do not have to live through this insult all over again. To those sick-minded, perverted child abuser from the government schools and religious factions, as the good book says, 'May your reward be eternal.' I don't know where you're going, but I guess every man makes his bed.

Jim White

Edmonton

@@

I think it's a bunch of crap. It's just a cop-out. The money they say they are going to give for the apology, it's just going to cause rifts among certain people, because who's going to get what and how much are they going to get? I just think this whole thing is a bunch of crap. I'm totally against the federal government for anything concerning Natives, because it's bull (expletive.) I am with the American Indian Movement of the United States, but I now reside in Canada. I am slowly getting involved with Native issues, but as far as I can see right now there is a shit here.

Steven Williams Benedict

Quebec

@@

I am a 55-year-old Cree woman from Alberta. I married a Cree from Fish River here in Manitoba. No one will ever know the pain and the suffering that an individual goes through from racial and residential school abuse except the person himself, and no one but the Creator, the almighty God can heal us. It's knowing God that we get to know ourselves, and that's all. No amount of money they can give us can ever, ever, ever in this lifetime of mine, ever repair the pain that I suffered daily. But by praying and believing that there is God, the Creator, and I am here for a reason . . . like I'm saying, I'm a 54-year-old grandma, I've raised my three children, I've been married for 34 years and giving it to God is the only way that I am healing . . . I think we just heal from prayer and being strong, and one day we will meet our Creator and he will tell us why, why all this happened to us Indian people in our country.

Amelia Wesley

Winnipeg