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Inquiry into NS Home for Coloured Children well underway

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Inquiry into NS Home for Coloured Children well underway
It's been just over a year since the Nova Scotia government apologized to former residents of the Home for Coloured Children. Since then, work into a public inquiry has been underway. Global's Natasha Pace takes a look at how the inquiry is going so far – Jun 25, 2016

It’s been just over a year since the provincial government apologized to former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children.

A restorative inquiry into what happened at the home is now well underway. For the last seven months, the inquiry has heard from hundreds of former residents.

READ: N.S. government knew of alleged abuse at Halifax orphanage, court told

Smith is also a former resident of the home himself. He says one issue continues to come up in conversations with other residents.

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“That’s why the home came to light in the first place. The government of the day didn’t care where black orphans were sent and so the community said we need to find a place for them, so that’s how that happened. As a result, when the abuse was happening, government was well aware of it, but they didn’t act upon it.”

Fania Davis, a civil rights activist from the United States is in the region this week to attend a national conference on Restorative Inquiries.

She had the opportunity to meet with Smith on Saturday and discuss the situation at the N.S. Home for Coloured Children.

READ: N.S. Home for Colored Children survivors celebrate settlement with tears, applause

Davis believes the approach the inquiry is taking, by working hand in hand with government in Nova Scotia, is unique.

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“It’s leading the way for us,” said Davis. “I believe, in the United States who are addressing issues, especially of police violence and I’m here and taking careful notes because I am going to go back and share this with my colleagues in California as a way forward for us to address racial violence, especially by police in the U.S.”

Smith says the groundwork for the inquiry is now complete. He believes when the restorative inquiry is done in 2018, it will make a huge difference in the lives of Nova Scotians.

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