The Government of Canada made an official apology last Thursday to the Sayisi Dene people who were relocated in the '50s in Northern Manitoba resulting in suffering and tragedy. The event took place at the Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg.

Sidney resident Pauline Blair is of Sayisi Dene lineage who attended the gathering with several siblings and her cousin, who is the chief at Tadoule Lake -- the community directly affected by the relocation. She recounts her mother's history.

Carolyn Bennett, looking at survivors, speaking on behalf of Canada while presenting apology (photo submitted by Joanne Blair)"My mother was a part of the relocation. She is a Sayisi Dene. She had passed away three and a half years ago. So, she didn't get to be a part of this. Three of my sisters and one of my brothers were there - five of seven siblings. I think there were about 100 people in attendance. I was quite amazed at the turnout, and I felt really proud as a Dene to be part of that. And this apology came after 60 years -- a long-awaited and needed apology."

Blair explains the Sayisi Dene relocation was originally caused by the confusion over the people's caribou hunting. She says the Dene were nomadic and hunted caribou, gathering enough for the entire winter at once. In 1956, the government saw a photo taken of the dead caribou carcases that were was misunderstood to have been abandoned as the result of careless slaughter of the animals. Blair says the Dene people actually stored their meat for winter in a pile at the shoreline. The misunderstanding moved the government to relocate the Dene to the shores of Churchill.

Blair says the Dene people were then informed they would be provided with lumber and supplies for homes. She notes material was left at the shore, but the tide washed it all away. This left them without shelter, clothing and food. Nothing was brought with them on the planes during the relocation. Blair says the people scavenged the Churchill dump for food and cardboard to make shanties.

She says about 4,000 Canadian troops were stationed around the region, and several of them committed sexual abuse with the women and children.

Blair says she recalls word about the relocation spanning a distance of 13 days via travel by dogsled, but isn't sure of the actual distance.

Tadoule Lake Chief Ernesto Bussidor accepting the apology (photo submitted by Joanne Blair)The Dene later relocated themselves to Tadoule Lake in the early '70s where the caribou roamed the region. 

"It was really hard for them to talk about it -- the abuse and racism they experienced. The lack of sanitation was unbearable. My mom barely ever talked about it. In fact, I don't even remember her talking about it, because it was so painful. And a lot of them drank after to deal with the trauma. Many of them perished in those early years because they couldn't cope. Their babies froze to death on the floor after just having been born because there was no heat. There was no food. Some of them starved to death. It was unspeakable. I could see why my mom didn't talk about it."

Blair says her mother continued to feel the brunt of prejudice after she left the resettlement.

"Even years later, when she met my dad and left there, because my dad was a Canadian soldier up there, the Canadian Government at that time didn't want my dad to marry my mom. And so, he had to make arrangements to go to Saskatchewan to get my cousin to find a minister to marry them. And they got married in Melville, Saskatchewan. After they were married, the Canadian Government at Camp Shilo would not allow my parents to live on the base because they were mixed race. My mom experienced racism quite a bit. My dad did, too, at that point."

Pauline BlairHaving attended the presentation from the government, Blair says, "I think my mom would have liked to have been there, but I think she would have found it quite difficult to think about those times. But I think she would have been happy that five of her seven children were there for her. I found it very emotional. I felt the apology was sincere, and I felt no amount of money they offered was going to undo what had already been done. It not only affected them, but it has affected all of us -- all the generations since then."

She says at least Tadoule Lake now has a chance to start afresh, it's hope for a future, and something to build on.

"I hope future generations will have something to look back on this day as the start of a new beginning and hope for the future, and say, 'Hey, look at what they went through. And here we are today because of what they suffered.' "

Jimmy Clipping and Bernice Thorassie (photo submitted by Joanne Blair)Blair says her cousin, Chief Ernesto Bussidor, represented the Sayisi Dene and accepted the apology. He, along with Bernice Thorrasie, made a comprehensive community development program to follow and help use the money to build their community. The school is in rough shape, and many of the homes aren't up to standard. Blair explains a lot of the money will be kept in trust to help build the Tadoule Lake community.

She adds it was for 18 actual members in attendance to see that day, from the 250 who were originally part of the relocation. Blair says her mother was always forgiving, and always urged the family to forgive everyone no matter what they did.