Sixties Scoop

Sixties Scoop is a theme mentioned in Anishinabek News.

In Anishinabek News

• December 2014: Between 1965 and 1985, approximately 16,000 Aboriginal children in Ontario were taken from their homes. The event resulted in an entire generation losing its Aboriginal identity and culture. A class action lawsuit known as Brown v. Canada was launched to seek accountability for these actions.
• August 2016: Shandra Spears Bombay is a survivor of this era, having been placed for adoption at five and a half months old.
• February 2017: The event impacted the family of Brenda Roberts, whose first cousin was taken away and never met by his mother until later.
• February 2018: Christine Cameron identified herself as one of approximately 20,000 children affected by this period in the 1960s. The event was cited as an example of the dehumanization of Indigenous people.
• March 2018: Joanne Koehler discussed this event as part of a history of colonialism that continues to impact First Nation people.
• March 2018: This movement is described as a significant attempt at assimilation by the Canadian government by severing ties between children and their communities. Survivors were often placed in non-Indigenous homes across Canada, the United States, and overseas. A settlement announced by the Canadian government in late 2017 provided compensation that survivors argued was insufficient compared to the residential school settlement.
• April 2018: John Fox and his sister were both in the Sixties Scoop. The experience impacted the relationship between Fox and his only biological sibling.
• May 2018: The Indigenous Rising project includes a full-length documentary specifically focused on this subject. Wayne Mousseau-Pheasant shared his personal experience as a survivor of this era during the exhibition opening.
• June 2018: The brother of Lisa Blenkinsop is a survivor of this historical event. The event is cited as a significant example of the troubles caused by colonialism.
• April 2020: Nina Antone described her struggle to maintain custody of her daughter during this era.
• July 2020: The series by Michael Hutchinson explores the influence of this event on Indigenous people across generations. The books aim to educate readers who may be unaware of the impact this period had on Indigenous communities in Canada.
• April 2021: Hilda Mary Nadjiwan was impacted by this event during her life. Despite the challenges of this experience, Hilda Mary Nadjiwan successfully raised her children.
• May 2021: The final report on missing and murdered Indigenous women identified this era as a factor leading to increased rates of violence and death in Indigenous communities.
• June 2021: The novel The Case of the Burgled Bundle: A Mighty Muskrats Mystery includes conversations about this event and its intergenerational effects.
• July 2021: The Walk of Sorrow was organized in memory of the survivors of this system.
• October 2021: The father of Veronique McCallum is a survivor of the Sixties Scoop.
• December 2021: Quilts for Survivors honors and provides quilts to individuals who survived this period.
• January 2022: The experiences of survivor Christine Miskonoodinkwe Smith during this period are the subject of the book These are the Stories: Memories of a 60s Scoop Survivor.
• July 2022: Mark Beachey identified himself as a survivor of this period.
• September 2023: A survivor of this period reunited with her family during the 2023 Nipissing First Nation Traditional Pow Wow. The television series Little Bird is a drama about this period.
• October 2023: Marty Wilson-Trudeau is a survivor of this period and is writing a graphic novel about its impact. The experience is described as involving the loss of identity and culture due to being cut away from one's community.
• November 2023: This historical topic was mentioned as a subject of growing awareness among the public in Canada.
• April 2024: The experiences of Sandy White Hawk in the United States are described as having multiple parallels with this Canadian era. During this time, children were often placed in non-Indigenous homes where they faced cultural dislocation and racism.
• June 2024: Sarah Lewis identifies the Sixties Scoop as one of the factors contributing to modern social challenges like homelessness and violence.
• March 2026: Bob Goulais identified this event as a factor that removed the traditional expression of love from many First Nations families. The event contributed to intergenerational trauma.
• April 2026: The graphic novel Visions From The Fire: Dreams Vol. 2 addresses the impact of this subject on Indigenous identity.