Module One: A Hidden Truth in Canadian History
“They locked us up. Nobody wanted us in the society. That’s what we felt. Nobody wanted us, so they locked us up.”
— Joe Clayton, Ontario Survivor
Getting to the Truths of Canada’s Hidden History M1.V1
In this video, you will be introduced to Nicole. Nicole is a 19-year-old college student who travels across Canada in search of answers. Her journey begins here and so does yours.
Imagine…
You are told when you will go to bed, when and what you will eat, and what clothes you will wear. You are told you cannot live at home with your family. Instead, you must live with hundreds of other people, and you are not allowed to leave without supervision. You are forced to peel potatoes for hours, and are paid $2.00 a day for your work. You have no control over the money you make. You sleep, go to the bathroom and shower without any privacy, and under the supervision of someone. Always. You are told you have the “mentality of a child” and that you cannot learn. You are forced to have surgery so you cannot have children. You are told you are not normal. You are an adult, but you have to do as you are told or you will be punished.
It is really hard to read these words and imagine what life would be like under these conditions. For any person, this would not be considered a good life. It would be a life driven by fear, which would make you feel helpless and alone. Some might even try to escape this life if they had the chance. In fact, many Canadians did try to run away. They tried over and over again. For Canadians who have an intellectual disability, this has been their reality. For over two centuries, Canada has systematically segregated people with who have a disability. This has exposed people to abusive and disrespectful situations with no way out.1However, the truths of institutionalization have been silenced and forgotten. This is Canada’s hidden history.
To survivors, the word “institution” means “a scary place,” “abuse,” “no freedom” and “like a prison.” The word ‘survivors’ is used to describe the people who have endured life in an institution. Some people have been helped to leave and now live happily in the community. Some provinces in Canada have closed institutions.
In the past, institutions were huge buildings where thousands of people were hidden away and forced to live under very strict rules. Over time, some of the larger facilities have slowly closed down. However, the systems and attitudes that influenced the running of these large institutions are still everywhere in our society. Shockingly, large government run institutions still remain open in Canada today.
An institution is any place in which people do not have, or are not allowed to exercise control over their lives and their day to day decisions. An institution is not defined merely by its size.
— People First of Canada2
How many people heard the government apologize for the abuse and neglect that Canadians who have a disability have endured? Who is talking about this issue today? Would you be surprised to learn that, in some provinces, governments are still operating institutions for people who have an intellectual disability?
In Canada, thousands of people still live in large institutions or similar places. You are probably asking yourself, why do institutions exist? How did people come to live in these places? In this Module, you will hear from survivors and their families as they answer these questions.
Throughout this curriculum, you will explore evidence through a collection of photos and videos of first-hand accounts. You will hear from survivors and their families, the people who worked at institutions and the allies who helped close them. This is an opportunity to learn about this type of segregation in Canada and how this history impacts people’s experiences today.
The learning goal for this module is to introduce Canadians to the often unspoken truths of institutionalization. You will also spend time understanding the historical context of institutions. This means you will look at the attitudes and beliefs of society from 1832 to 1914 and how those contributed to the rising number of institutions that were built in Canada during that time.
For an introduction to institutions of the past, please see the student workbook (M1.1).
Evidence of Our Suffering
What we learn about the past depends on who tells the story. Listen to the evidence that comes from the perspective of survivors and families. The photos, documents and video clips in this module reflect the experiences of survivors and their families. The images below will help you see what the living conditions were like. They also show evidence of the stereotypes and mindsets that influenced the decisions of people who lived in the past. For more information on the following resources, and for instructions to guide your analysis, please visit the student workbook (M1.2), which can be downloaded from the Teacher Resources Page.
Institutions and Eugenics in Canada
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No institutions were built in the Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory or Nunavut in Canada. This meant that people were sent to institutions in other provinces, like Alberta and Ontario.
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Eugenics was first made legal in the province through the Sexual Sterilization Act (enacted in 1933). The Act was repealed in 1979 until 1989 (Eve’s case). It is uncertain how many people were sterilized during this time.
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Eugenics was first made legal in Canada through Alberta’s Sexual Sterilization Act (1928), which made it legal for about 2,832 disabled adults and children to be sterilized without their knowledge or consent.
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The call for de-institutionalization in Canada started in Saskatchewan in 1955 when the provincial Association for Community Living was created.
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The government of Manitoba currently funds two large institutions and is currently facing a class action law-suit.
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These governments were the first to pass legislation that gave their provincial governments the authority to build institutions for people with an intellectual disability.
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This province currently uses institutions as its primary model of care to accommodate people with disabilities. In 2017, approximately 1,341 people were waiting for community supports and services.
Institutional Populations in Canada (1970s)
| Province | Institutional Population | Number of Reporting Institutions |
| Prince Edward Island | 19 | 1 |
| Nova Scotia | 421 | 5 |
| New Brunswick | 165 | 1 |
| Quebec | 3,736 | 6 |
| Ontario | 7,256 | 20 |
| Manitoba | 1,417 | 2 |
| Saskatchewan | 1,463 | 2 |
| Alberta | 2,342 | 2 |
| British Columbia | 2,270 | 2 |
Source: Dominion Bureau of Statistics (Health and Welfare Division, 1970)
Speaking Our Truth
Institutions have impacted survivors and their families in many ways. When thinking about people’s experiences, it is important that we try to avoid the slippery slope of ‘presentism.’ It is easy to impose modern values and current cultures on the past. Instead, we must search for a better understanding of what influenced people’s decisions, shaped their attitudes and limited perceptions of what was possible for people. This is especially important when looking for patterns between what happened in the past in comparison to what is happening today. We do not want to repeat history. This will help Canadians understand why institutions continue to exist in Canada.
“Nobody who lived there and got out has ever said, ‘Boy, I’d really like to go back and live there again.’ Nobody. Not one. That tells you something.”
— Bill Hogarth, Survivor from Valleyview Centre in Saskatchewan
Survivors across Canada have used their voices to share personal stories about what life was like living in an institution. Family members have also shared personal accounts of how life was changed by the absence of their loved ones. Their stories tell us about the humiliation, fear and abandonment that was experienced. Furthermore, they tell us about the guilt, sadness and secrets that have left families disconnected. Their stories teach important lessons about what every human being needs and deserves.
Survivors often speak about the intense boredom and loneliness they felt while living at the institution.
Survivor Insights: “I Tried to Run Away Thirteen Times”
Institutions were built with the intention to protect people with disabilities. They were supposed to provide quality care and support Canadian families. This was during a time when community supports and funding did not exist the way it does today. That said, survivors’ accounts show us the outcome and the unethical truths of institutionalization.
In this series of interviews, you will hear from three survivors, Leta Jarvis, David Weremy and Joe Clayton. Each will speak about their life experiences while living in institutions in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Ontario respectively. All three survivors are now happily living in their community. They continue, however, to experience the impact of having lived in an institution. Each survivor is eager to share their stories with people who will one day be decision-makers. Please refer to the student workbook (M1.4) for instructions to guide discussions of these interviews.
Meet Leta Jarvis M1.V2
Leta Jarvis is a loving sister and a strong woman who uses her story to teach others about the right to live in the community. Leta is a survivor of several institutions in Nova Scotia. Leta’s story is one of triumph and perseverance.
Meet David Weremy M1.V3
David Weremy has spent most of his life fighting for human rights in Canada. David is now in his 70’s and he says he won’t retire until the government closes the last institution. David’s story is one of resilience and dedication.
Meet Joe Clayton M1.V4
Joe Clayton is an artist, speaker and proud Algonquin man. Joe uses his story to help other survivors to heal and move on after living in an institution. Joe is a survivor of Rideau Regional Center in Smith Falls, Ontario. Joe’s story is one of endurance and solidarity. Joe uses his story to help other survivors to heal and move on after living in an institution. Joe is a survivor of Rideau Regional Center in Smith Falls, Ontario. Joe’s story is one of endurance and solidarity.
Family Insights: “It Was Our Family’s Secret.”
For thousands of families across Canada, sending their child to an institution was an extremely painful decision. In the past and even today, families have felt alone in caring for their loved ones. With limited support and funding from governments, many families are left with no choice but to rely on models of care the government provides.
This means people have little agency to build the life they dream for themselves or their loved ones. If a person has agency, it means they have the ability to make choices. In many cases, for an institution to accept a child, parents were told they must sign their parental rights away. This meant that they were no longer able to make decisions on behalf of their loved one, including to stop bad things from happening. The government was responsible for looking after people. This left children very vulnerable to abuse because their parents and siblings were powerless.
In this series of interviews, you will hear from three family members. Siblings and parents have an important role in the life of their loved ones. You will hear about what it was like to be a parent or a sibling of someone who lived at an institution. You will discover how decisions were made and the impact of these decisions. Please refer to the student workbook (M1.5) for more information and for instructions for guided discussions of these interviews.
Meet Barb Horner M1.V5
Barb is a proud mother and an active advocate of inclusion in the province of Nova Scotia. Barb’s daughter Mallory lived in an institution as a teenager. Their family’s journey to creating a good life for Mallory in the community shows what can be achieved by families who stay informed and connected.
Meet Ron and Jean Nobess M1.V6
Ron and Jean’s son, Derek, paved the way for survivors and families in Manitoba by protecting their right to make choices for themselves or their loved one. Listen as they tell their courageous story about how their family challenged the Manitoba government to protect Derek’s right to grow up in a loving home in the community.
Meet Victoria Freeman M1.V7
Victoria’s sister Martha was a survivor of Rideau Regional Center in Smith Falls, Ontario. In this video, Victoria talks about her personal journey to finding forgiveness and self-awareness after learning about Martha’s experience of living in an institution.
A Timeline of Human Rights in Canada from 1876-Present
The following timeline shows the evolution of human rights in Canada’s history. The timeline also highlights how human rights for people who have a disability have evolved alongside social and political changes in Canada. The timeline is organized into five periods of time. These reflect the evolution of attitudes about people, the types of care that were offered, and different laws and policies that were created to protect people’s rights. For more information on how to facilitate an exploratory activity using this timeline, please refer to the student workbook (M1.6). The workbook is available on the Teacher Resources page.
Module One Reflections M1.V8
In this video, Nicole reflects on what has been learned in Module one.