I am researching the Residential School System in Canada. Using the Indigenous Foundations website, please provide a brief overview of what the Residential School System was, its historical timeline including its early origins, when the government began establishing schools, and when the last school closed. Additionally, find and quote a short passage from a survivor's testimony on the page that illustrates the impact of the schools.
Navigate to 'https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/'. Click on the 'Government Policy' link in the navigation menu (ID 114). Click on 'The Residential School System' link within the 'Government Policy' section (ID 148). Read the content to identify a brief overview of the Residential School System. Identify the earliest origins of residential schools mentioned on the page. Identify when the government began establishing residential schools across Canada. Identify the year the last residential school closed. Locate and extract a short quote from a survivor's testimony on the page. Synthesize the gathered information into a concise answer.
The agent successfully navigates to 'The Residential School System' page. The agent states that the Residential School System was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous children, funded by the Canadian government and administered by Christian churches, with the aim of assimilating Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. The agent states that the early origins of residential schools in Canada are found in the implementation of the mission system in the 1600s. The agent states that the government began establishing residential schools across Canada in the 1880s. The agent states that the last residential school closed in 1996. The agent provides a direct quote from a survivor's testimony found on the page (e.g., the quote from Chief Bobby Joseph, or George Guerin).