Bill 41 a step in the right direction

All British Columbians need to support Bill 41, which recognizes Aboriginal rights, a small step toward righting the wrongs of the past.

I have had the privilege of working with many different native communities throughout Canada for the last 20 years in my role as clinical counsellor.

Most Canadians believe that things are pretty much OK in native communities now and nothing could be further from the truth.

While many are doing well, a great many more are struggling with extremely high rates of suicide, addiction, poverty and crime, high mortality rates, unsafe living conditions and much, much more.

How Canada has treated native people will continue to have effects for a few more generations.

In my opinion, every person in Canada who enjoys a position of privilege, or who owns property, has attained that on the backs of native people.

We all owe them a debt of gratitude that could never be repaid, no matter how much compensation money we give them.

I had a client several years ago who received compensation for her experiences at residential school. Her hope was that she would be able to travel around the world with that money.

However, when it came time to leave, she couldn’t bring herself to go up the hill from her village because she would go into a panic attack any time she tried.

How much online shopping does it take before trauma is healed, I wonder?

Pierre Morais Victoria