The transcript for this witness testimony is currently in production by our volunteers. It will be available soon here on this page and as a downloadable PDF.

Summary

Dorothy shares her painful experiences of being separated from her family and culture while in residential school from age 3 to 14. She describes the strict rules, punishments, and lack of nurturing that children endured. After running away at 14, Dorothy was able to reconnect with her language and culture through her grandparents. She went on to get counseling training and began helping Indigenous families whose children were being apprehended by child welfare services. Over a 4-year period, she estimates 300 children were taken from Chilcotin communities, with 200 from the Anaheim Reserve alone. Dorothy explains the devastating impacts these apprehensions have on families and communities. She advocates for keeping children connected to their culture and providing more support to parents rather than removing children. Dorothy shares her ongoing work to reunite families and her concerns that the situation has worsened in recent years despite increased awareness of Indigenous rights. She emphasizes the need to respect Indigenous sovereignty and provide culturally-appropriate education and services.

Credentials

Dorothy Boyd is a respected 75-year-old elder and clan mother from the Chilcotin tribe. She was born and raised on the Anaheim Reserve in British Columbia. As a young child, she was sent to residential school, where she remained until age 14 when she ran away. Despite this difficult experience, Dorothy went on to pursue counseling training and has dedicated her life to helping Indigenous families, particularly those dealing with child apprehensions. She worked as a teacher’s aide and opened her home as a safe house for children. Dorothy is known for her compassion and tireless advocacy for her community.