[Igottago]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Part of being a citizen of a country is that you share that country's history, both the good and the bad. I can feel pride about the '72 summit series, the courageous battles fought by Canadians in both world wars, and countless other feats of heroism, invention, creativity, etc. The fact that I was not alive and did nothing do bring any of them about does not lessen my pride at all. These are all part of the collective memory that I have rights to as a Canadian. But by the same token, there are things that I and every Canadian should feel a sense of shame of, regardless of our lack of personal involvment and connection to the events. The residential schools program and the japanese internment camps would be two such events. So in this respect, I think is was appropriate for Harper to apologize on behalf of all Canadians. This was a failing of Canada as a nation, and anything less than an apology by Canada as a nation would be an insufficient gesture.

Well said. Its not about making people today feel personally accountable for it. Its a collective acknowledgment of something our country did wrong in the past.