Closing the chapter: A case study of government communications preceding the 2008 apology to residential school survivors

This research examines the Government of Canada’s changing discourse in relation to the apology to residential school survivors in the two-year period leading to the apology, during which time the Conservative Government of Canada was in power. A combination of critical discourse analysis and grounded theory was used to analyze six key documents or statements related to the apology created from 2006 to 2008. This research seeks to identify themes in the discourse and consistencies throughout the two year time period, despite the vastly changing discourse. Findings reveal that themes present in the discourse leading up to the residential school apology are mostly consistent with those found in apology literature. Findings also reveal that the concept of “closing the issue” was consistent throughout the discourse, despite the Government of Canada’s apparent shift in stance on this issue.