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Okay, do y'all know what "Home Children" are? 
I'm a
history nerd, and literally had no idea what this was until this morning.
It turns out it's a weird and twisted part of history, plays an active role in hiding.
<thread>
I'm a
history nerd, and literally had no idea what this was until this morning. It turns out it's a weird and twisted part of history,
plays an active role in hiding. <thread>
2/ Basically if you were an orphan in the UK or commonwealth, you were rounded up and used as a slave.
This also happened to poor families that were tricked into giving up their kids "temporarily" into better care, only to come back and find out their kids were gone.
This also happened to poor families that were tricked into giving up their kids "temporarily" into better care, only to come back and find out their kids were gone.
3/ Eventually there was too many kids, so they decided they would export them.
"Parents" in countries like Canada would go to homes, pay an "adoption fee," and get kids under indentured contracts.
"Parents" in countries like Canada would go to homes, pay an "adoption fee," and get kids under indentured contracts.
4/ Indentured contracts are when someone is forced to work, beaten, and often compensated with a minor wage withheld until they complete the job.
It's slavery. Except owners also have incentive to work the person to death before the contract was up, so they don't have to pay.
It's slavery. Except owners also have incentive to work the person to death before the contract was up, so they don't have to pay.
5/ Anyway, so Canada brought in over 100,000 of these kids to work on farms, factories, etc. This happened until 1948.
These adoption agencies were also pioneers in customer service. You could return the kid at anytime as well.
Coincidentally also avoiding paying the kid money.
These adoption agencies were also pioneers in customer service. You could return the kid at anytime as well.
Coincidentally also avoiding paying the kid money.
6/ It also turns out "orphan" is a loose use of the term.
One organization specializing in reuniting these families estimates fewer than 12% were actually orphans. The rest were stripped from intact families as labor, with a fake story for history.
https://canadianbritishhomechildren.weebly.com/
One organization specializing in reuniting these families estimates fewer than 12% were actually orphans. The rest were stripped from intact families as labor, with a fake story for history.
https://canadianbritishhomechildren.weebly.com/
7/ To give an idea of the scale, it's estimated one in ten Canadians are from the bloodline of Home Children.
They just don't know it, because many immigrant children at the time thought it was just how things were, and it would be embarrassing if it wasn't.
They just don't know it, because many immigrant children at the time thought it was just how things were, and it would be embarrassing if it wasn't.
8/ Most of this was hidden until around ~2007. The UK and many other countries acknowledged this was an atrocity, and apologized.
Not Canada. In 2010, the then minister of foreign affairs refused to apologize.
Jason. Fucking. Kenney.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/11/16/canadians_not_interested_in_home_children_apology_minister.html
Not Canada. In 2010, the then minister of foreign affairs refused to apologize.
Jason. Fucking. Kenney.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/11/16/canadians_not_interested_in_home_children_apology_minister.html
9/ and technically, Kenney wasn't wrong. Canadians aren't interested in the story of Home Children.
Most would rather pretend Canada is and has always been perfect, never having slavery. Morally superior to those Americans.
Most would rather pretend Canada is and has always been perfect, never having slavery. Morally superior to those Americans.
Seriously though. If you don't read the Star article, just read this lede to get an idea of where the government's at.
For American friends, this is the guy that was elected to now run a whole province.
For American friends, this is the guy that was elected to now run a whole province.
Wait. You know the patriotic stories they tell in about kids lying about their age to join to fight in the World Wars?
Dark twist. Many of them were Home Children trying to escape their situation, and reunite with their families in Europe. https://medium.com/exploring-history/canadas-forgotten-child-labourers-7ba7f670be79
about kids lying about their age to join to fight in the World Wars? Dark twist. Many of them were Home Children trying to escape their situation, and reunite with their families in Europe. https://medium.com/exploring-history/canadas-forgotten-child-labourers-7ba7f670be79
