Photo credit: Michael Gorman, Chronicle Herald
On Friday, October 10, 2014, in an historic ceremony in the Red Room of the Nova Scotia Legislature, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil made good on his election promise to offer an official apology to former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children for the emotional, physical and sexual abuse they suffered there at the hands of staff.
Surrounded by a crowd that included former Home residents and family supporters, McNeil spoke emotionally about his hope that this apology from the Nova Scotia government will help heal the pain and suffering received by residents during their time in the Home.
“It is one of the great tragedies in our province’s history that your cries for help were greeted with silence for so long. Some of you have said you felt invisible. You are invisible no longer. We hear your voices and we grieve for your pain. We are sorry.”In earlier action, McNeil made good on his election promise to settle a $30 million class action lawsuit brought by former residents against the province. An official inquiry into the Home's practices is planned for the future.
Video and links below the fold.