The Canadian government has refused the latest request for an apology to British children abused in the country.
Campaigners for youngsters shipped to Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries have petitioned the country’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to apologise for their mistreatment.
His government has declined – a decision campaigners have said “compounds the historical injustice”.
About 115,000 youngsters, so-called British Home Children, were sent to Canada from the UK between 1869 and 1948.
They were typically used as cheap labour on farms or as domestic servants and many were subject to mistreatment and abuse.
The UK and Australia have issued formal apologies for their roles in the transport of British children into punishing circumstances overseas and petitioners asked Canada to do the same.
In responding, the Canadian government said: “It is generally agreed that [the children’s] living and working conditions were poorly supervised in Canada, leaving the children vulnerable to abuse and prejudice.”
