Indeed, the department took the position that maintaining the parent/child relationship was key — that "there can be no complete substitute for the care and concern of parents and the security which children feel when living at home".85 Therefore, It is considered that the parents, wherever possible, should assume the responsibility for the care of their children, and that the interests of the children are best served by leaving them with their parents when home circumstances and other factors are favourable.86 This now-valued parental involvement was even given institutional form in federal day and residential schools.
Cette constatation ne pouvait pas avoir échappé au Ministère ni aux Églises, car, à plusieurs reprises, les inspecteurs scolaires provinciaux engagés par le gouvernement, signalaient que [TRADUCTION] «les programmes scolaires en vigueur dans diverses provinces ne convenaient pas nécessairement aux écoles indiennes».