this is justice murray sinclair, chair of the truth and reconciliation commission. >> the residential school experience is clearly one of the darkest, most troubling chapters in our collective history. in the period from confederation until the decision to close residential schools was taken in this country in 1969 thomas canada clearly participated in a period of cultural genocide. [applause] we are for the effects of over 100 years of mistreatment of more than 150,001st nations, and you would, children placed in the schools. remove from their families and home communities, seven generations of aboriginal children were denied their identity. we heard how, separated from their language, their culture, their spiritual traditions in a collective history children he came unable to answer questions as simple as, where do i come from? where am i going? why am i here? and, who am i? juan: justice murray sinclair chair of the truth and reconciliation commission also said he suspects as many as 7500 indigenous children died at the residential schools, but the exact figure may never be known.