North

Former Behchokǫ̀ students want residential school compensation for time at N.W.T. school

Former students of the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀ say that as children in the 1970s, they suffered similar abuse and hardships as those who were forced to attend federal day schools and residential schools.

The school was financed by the territorial government but operated by an Indigenous school board

A photo of the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T.
The Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T. When it first opened in 1971, the school was one of the first Indigenous-run schools in Canada. Some former students say their experience there should entitle them to compensation. (Travis Burke/CBC)

Some former students of the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀ say that, as children in the 1970s, they suffered similar abuse and hardships as those who were forced to attend federal day schools and residential schools.

They say they are also residential school survivors and should be entitled to compensation. 

Last month, the Federal Indian Day School Class Action lawsuit announced a six month extension period, to Jan. 23, 2023, for people who were forced to attend federal Indian day schools.

Nancy Black-Choquette attended the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀ in the early 1970s. She and other former students want the school to be included in a residential school settlement agreement. (Submitted by Nancy Black-Choquette )
With the announcement of an extension, Nancy Black-Choquette, who went to the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in the early 1970s, decided to speak out about her negative experiences at the school. 

Black-Choquette described being frequently bullied by other students and often left unattended by supervisors. 

"I got no big sister to help me or nothing. It was really rough," said Black-Choquette. 

"I was only eight trying to defend myself, and it was hard. I was always crying." 

According to Black-Choquette, her mother sent her to the school, where she lived full time for two years. Unlike other students, her parents did not pick her up from the school for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any school breaks. Black-Choquette said her mother, who went to residential school herself, was not notified, or did not know, that she was supposed to pick up her daughter. 

Petition started a couple years ago, says former student's daughter 

Mary Black, Black-Choquette's daughter, said that she and her mom went to Dene Nation a couple of years ago to ask for support. According to Black, Dene Nation advised them to start a petition, which received about 400 signatures.

"We provided that [petition] to Dene Nation, and that was supposed to help us to kind of gain support to at least make this residential school known," she said. Black never heard back from Dene Nation and is unsure about how to help her mom "get justice."

"My mom went through a lot there," said Black. "I want her to be heard." 

She hopes that the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School will eventually be recognized as a "government school," so it can be included in a settlement. 

"That's what needs to be changed," said Black. "Kids were taken and brought there. The same thing as any of the residential schools. The kids were treated the same way." 

CBC reached out to the Dene Nation for comment, but they were unable to respond by deadline.

Reached for comment, Behchokǫ̀ Chief Clifford Daniels said he's heard that lots of people experienced "traumatic events" at the school and are "really struggling."

Daniels had not signed the petition but was considering it. "Having 400 signatures [on the petition] might just warrant a review of that school," he said.

The school still exists today, but is now known as the Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School, operated by the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency, which stems from the 2005 Tłı̨chǫ Agreement. 

Not possible for school to be included, say government representatives 

Multiple government representatives told CBC News that it would not be possible to add the school to a settlement agreement because the lawsuits in question were against the federal government — and the Chief Jimmy Bruneau school was not operated, maintained or funded at the federal level. 

"The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, Federal Indian Day Schools Settlement Agreement and Indian Residential Schools Day Scholars Settlement Agreement do not include all schools attended by Indigenous children," wrote Jennifer Cooper, spokesperson for Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, in an email. 

"These settlements were in response to active litigation and the eligibility criteria for these settlements were determined by the claim filed by the plaintiffs and negotiated by all parties to these agreements."

Indigenous group had full control of the school 

The Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and an adjoining 100-bed hostel opened in September 1971, in the Tłı̨chǫ community of Rae-Edzo, now known as Behchokǫ̀. 

Katherine Barton, a representative for the N.W.T.'s Department of Education, Culture, and Employment, made it clear that even though the territorial government financed the school, it was the Rae-Edzo School Society — an Indigenous-run school board — that had full control of its operation

Jean Chretien, then the minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Chief Jimmy Bruneau at the opening of the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in 1971. (NWT Archives/Native Communications Society fonds - Native Press photograph collection/N-2018-010: 0643)

"The government appointed the Rae-Edzo School Society, made up of six individuals from Rae, as administrators of Chief Jimmy Bruneau School for the purpose of operating, maintaining and controlling the school," wrote Barton. 

In a separate email to CBC News, Neetisha Seenundun, a media contact for the Federal Indian Day School Settlement, stated that "funding does not in and of itself equate to legal liability."  

"It is not about funding, but rather who controlled and operated the schools," wrote Seenundum. 

In 1979, the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School was featured in an article by the Native Press, an Indigenous-owned newspaper, where it was described as the first school in the North to be controlled by Indigenous people. 

The article also noted that the school's curriculum incorporated Indigenous traditions and values. "Social studies and physical education were replaced with cultural teaching whereby students participate in hunting, trapping and fishing, and are taught by local hunters and trappers."

The school went to Grade 8 at the time.

'We're thrown under the bus,' says former student 

Albert Nitsiza says he attended the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School for about four years "off and on" in the early 1970s. 

Nitsiza was about 10 years old at the time, and says that he and other students "were taken away from our families" and forced to attend the school. But he also described his family voluntarily signing him up to go to be "looked after" and to "get educated." 

"It's just like a residential school back in the fifties and sixties," he said. "You know, big family [needed] to send their kids out to go school until Christmas or until June."  

He said he was bullied by other students, and abused by teachers and supervisors. 

"Some supervisors were kind of abusing us by strapping us," Nitsiza said.  "They'd just swear at us, and they whipped us with their belt."  

Charlie Charlo, Alec Charlo, Alphonse Eronchie, Ernie Camsell, and Chief Jimmy Bruneau in Yellowknife during a signing agreement for Chief Jimmy Bruneau School. Some former students who attended when it first opened in 1971 say they should be eligible for compensation. (NWT Archives/Native Communications Society fonds - Native Press photograph collection/N-2018-010: 0261)

According to Nitsiza, some "local people were involved with the school," but "most of the teachers came from the south."

He described being struck by a teacher. "[A teacher] stabbed me with a pencil and poked me on the side. So there was lead stuck inside my stomach," said Nitsiza. He added that the teacher was fired a couple days later. 

Nitsiza spoke to CBC News about the situation back in 2008. At the time, he was trying to have the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School added to a federal list of recognized schools that qualify for payment. 

Nitsiza said he hasn't made much progress since that time, but he'd still like to see his former school added to a residential school settlement. 

"I'd like to see this put on a list. So at least we can get some compensation," he said. 

In an email, Cory Wanless class counsel team member on the Day Scholars Class Action lawsuit, wrote that even though it was not possible for the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School to be added to a federal settlement, individuals could bring their own lawsuits regarding harms suffered. 

"But the lawsuits would have to be against the province, territory or other entity that funded and operated the school in question," he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emma Grunwald is a reporter with CBC News in Yellowknife.