“Parks Canada now acknowledges this harmful historical legacy and its impact on Indigenous language, culture, laws and governance systems.”
The country of Canada has effectively apologized for the system of national parks that it has developed, with the national parks agency saying that the existence of the parks themselves represents "colonial injustice" against those who are Indigenous.
The internal report known as the Evaluation of the Indigenous Guardians Initiative Internal Review, stated, “For millennia Indigenous people have cultivated reciprocal relationships with land, water and ice guided by cultural practices, values and knowledge systems," as reported by the Toronto Sun.
"Beginning in the 19th century the development of national parks and protected areas in Canada disrupted these relationships through exclusion and colonial injustices," the report added.
“In establishing national parks, Indigenous people were forcibly removed from their homes, denied access to traditional territories and prohibited from hunting and harvesting on park lands,” the report added. The document was dated 2024 and was released on June 22.
Banff National Park, the country's first national park, was established in 1885. Although it was originally named the Rocky Mountains Park, it was established in order to protect thermal springs found in the park. It was later named Banff in 1930 when the National Parks Act was passed.
The report added, “Stoney Nakoda were prevented from using the land as in past ways. These laws, practices and policies caused historic and ongoing harm for Indigenous communities. They eroded Indigenous systems.”
Parks Canada was established by the Canadian government in 1911 and was called the Dominion Parks Branch at the time. The organization was tasked with taking care of a small number of parks and reserves.
The report added, “Parks Canada now acknowledges this harmful historical legacy and its impact on Indigenous language, culture, laws and governance systems."
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