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Of the historical difficulties over the residential schools, the archbishop said: "I think that the church got itself in too close collaboration with the government ... in the policy of assimilating native people. In the 1960s it was realized that this was a mistake, and [the church] pulled out of the relationship.

"There has been talk ever since about the damage that was done to students in the residential schools by the school system. The church tried to respond around 1990 and set up some programs, but because the response from the government was almost non-existent and [that] from the church inadequate, the native people were forced to go to the courts."

A healing and reconciliation fund set up by the church in 1991 has already paid $600,000 to communities with programs helping former students of the residential schools.

Earlier this month, the ACC's national office in Toronto was forced to lay off eight employees and cut $500,000 from its annual budget. Many of the employees who have lost their jobs had worked on social justice, poverty and development issues.

Crawley told ENI that the residential school problem has been the subject of discussions at international levels. "The Episcopal Church General Council [the ruling body of the sister church in the United States] has sent us offers of support, concern and prayers."

Copyright © 2000 ENI

Visit the official Anglican Church of Canada site.

The Canadian Government homepage offers information in both French and English.

Don't miss the Anglican Journal article about the church being held responsible for past abuse.

Other media coverage of this issue includes:

Use B.C. property to pay lawsuits, Anglican minister says—The Toronto Star (Oct. 18, 2000)

Churches offered help to stave off financial ruin—National Post (Oct. 17, 2000)

B.C. churches told to list assets—National Post (Oct. 16, 2000)

No support by law societies in residential school crisis, lawyer says—National Post (Oct. 16, 2000)

The Sins of the Fathers—The Washington Post (Oct. 13, 2000)

Previous Christianity Today coverage of Canadian church lawsuits includes:

Canada Meeting Gives New Hope for Unity Between Anglicans and Catholics | Churches come closer together, but not close enough to share Eucharist. (May 26, 2000)

Canada's Anglican Church Considers Possibility of Financial Ruin | Court costs, settlements surrounding abuse allegations could mean bankruptcy. (Jan. 31, 2000)

Arctic's Anglican Bishop Looks for Priests to Brave the Cold | Nine vacancies in Anglican Communion's largest diocesan territory, but no prospects. (Jan. 27, 2000)

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

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October (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44