The Conference Board of Canada issued a report that northern communities need to heal from the effects of Indian Residential Schools as part of a northern economic growth plan.
The report focused on how the north can plan for economic growth identifying three high-priority areas; Aboriginal youth, infrastructure renewal and governance.
Adam Fiser with the Conference Board of Canada says the study found evidence that former Indian Residential School students need to relearn parenting skills.
“They’re now coming back in a place where they have to relearn how to be effective parents,” says Fiser. “They have to learn how to be leaders in the communities, so they need a lot of support and help.”
Fiser says the solution is community healing directed by the community that needs to be supported by regional, provincial and the federal government.
He adds building capacity in the communities will help the north become more resilient to boom and bust economic cycles.