Freedomites facts for kids

The Freedomites were a group that separated from the Doukhobors. Doukhobors are a community of Spiritual Christians who moved from Russia to Canada in the late 1800s. The Freedomite movement began in 1902 in Saskatchewan. Later, it also appeared in the Kootenay and Boundary areas of British Columbia.

In 1902, the Freedomites started to break away from other Doukhobors in Saskatchewan, Canada. They called themselves "God's people" and Svobodniki, which means "sovereign people" in Russian. This group, later known as "Freedomites," disagreed with things like owning land, public schools, and using animals for work. By 1920, they were commonly called the Sons of Freedom.

Today, there are about 20,000 active Doukhobors in Canada. About 2,500 of them have ancestors who were Freedomites. Many of these families later joined the USCC Community Doukhobors.

What Freedomites Believed

Freedomite meetings were much like those of other spiritual Christian groups from Russia. They met in simple buildings and sat on benches. They prayed and sang religious songs in Russian. They also talked about religious and community topics, mostly in Russian.

The Freedomites believed in basic, traditional Russian community living. This meant growing their own food and building their own homes. They wanted to live a peaceful country life. When they felt strongly about a protest, they would express their beliefs with great emotion. They also had a strong belief in being free from outside rules.

How Freedomites Protested

Canada at first offered more religious freedom than the Russian Empire. However, problems soon arose. The main issues were about sending children to school and registering land. The Svobodniki generally refused to send their children to government-run schools.

The governments of Saskatchewan and British Columbia did not listen to advice from experts. These experts suggested trying to understand the parents' concerns. Instead, the governments chose to legally charge many parents for not sending their children to school.

The Svobodniki became known for their public protests. Sometimes, they would publicly burn their own money and belongings.

In the 1920s, the name "Sons of Freedom" became common. People often confused them with all Doukhobors. A small number of Freedomites were known for setting fires as a protest. They did this to show their dislike for owning too many things. These actions happened throughout the 20th century. The most active periods were in the 1920s and 1960s.

They used both fires and explosives. The first time explosives were used was in 1923. Sadly, two people died from their own bombs in 1958 and 1962. They targeted their own property and sometimes the property of other Doukhobor neighbors. This was to show their strong dislike for material things. They also attacked schools to resist government pressure about schooling their children. Sometimes, they attacked transportation and communication systems. One example was the bombing of a railway bridge in Nelson, British Columbia in 1961.

The governments of British Columbia and Canada reacted strongly. One action was taking Freedomite children away. These children were placed in a special center in New Denver. Later, there were claims about the conditions these children faced. People demanded a formal apology. The BC government made an official Statement of Regret. This satisfied some people, but not everyone. The Government of Canada has not apologized for its part. It stated it was not responsible for actions taken by the government 50 years ago.

Operation Snatch: A Timeline of Events

Between 1953 and 1959, about 200 Sons of Freedom (Freedomite) children were taken by the BC government, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the federal government. This was called "Operation Snatch." These children, aged 7–15, were kept in New Denver, BC. The place was like a prison. People claimed that the Sons of Freedom children lost their basic rights during this time.

Here is a timeline of what happened before, during, and after the children were held:

• 1952. The new Social Credit government, led by W. A. C. Bennett, started to take a tougher approach. They called it the "Doukhobor Problem."

* At the same time, a report from the University of British Columbia was released. It advised against taking the Sons of Freedom children.

• 1953. The Social Credit government wanted to stop the "disorder" caused by the Sons of Freedom.

* A new law, the British Columbia School Act, made state-run education required for all children. Soon after, the government began sending students to residential schools.

• September 9, 1953. The RCMP arrested 148 adults for protesting near a school. They were taken to Vancouver, found guilty, and sent to Oakalla prison.

* 104 children were taken by bus to a residential school in New Denver.

• January 18, 1955. The RCMP started "Operation Krestova." They raided the village of Krestova.

* Operation Krestova was seen as a success. 70 police officers removed 40 children from their homes. The number of children in the New Denver school grew to 72. The Department of Health had only approved a maximum of 45-50 children.

• 1955. The government thought about using the Protection of Children Act. This would allow the children to be held in New Denver until they were 18. This was because they were not attending school.
• January 6, 1956. Five RCMP members searched for children not attending school. They had a search warrant.
• May 1956. It was suggested that family visits to the school be limited. Families could visit for only one hour every three months. Only two family members could visit.
• July 1956. A new director took charge of New Denver School. A fence was put up around the grounds. Visits with parents happened through the fence. RCMP officers patrolled the grounds during visits.
• 1956: Doukhobors in BC got back their right to vote in provincial and federal elections.
• 1958. One Son of Freedom was killed by his own bomb.
• July 31, 1959. Parents were made to promise before a judge that they would send their children to school.
• August 2, 1959. The remaining 77 children in New Denver were released.
• 1956 to 1959. Records show that punishment was often given. Children lost family visits.
• 1959–1962: Freedomites damaged property belonging to other Doukhobors. They also damaged property of the Canadian Pacific Railway and public buildings. Hundreds of Freedomites were arrested and jailed.
• 1961: Doukhobors in BC could buy back their land from the provincial government. Only individuals not part of a commune could buy land back.
• 1962. One Son of Freedom was killed by his own bomb.
• 1962: Sons of Freedom from Krestova went to Vancouver. They wanted to raise public awareness. They also protested the arrest of their supporters for setting fires and bombings.

* The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association was started. It focused on concerns about how the government treated people's human rights.

• 1964–1984: Doukhobors were key organizers for many anti-war protests in Canada. They also organized a 50,000-kilometer "Peace and Friendship Caravan International" from BC to the USSR.
• 1971: The Government of Canada announced a new policy of multiculturalism. This was to celebrate and recognize the many different cultures in Canada.

* A copy of the Doukhobor community home near Castlegar, BC, was finished. It was built by the Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society.

• 1975: The Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ Community Centre in Grand Forks was destroyed. After this, the USCC opened a new community center in Grand Forks.

* Freedomites were thought to have set fire to the USCC Community Centre.

• 1980: The National Doukhobor Heritage Village officially opened in Verigin, Saskatchewan. It is centered on the community home built for Peter V. Verigin.
• 1982–1986: After 40 years of bombings and fires by the Sons of Freedom, the BC government created a committee. It brought together different Doukhobor groups, government departments, and police.
• 1999. A report from an ombudsman was released. It called for a clear and public apology. It also suggested other ways to make things right. Soon after, the government started to respond. They decided that all lawsuits asking for money for harm should go straight to the courts. None of these lawsuits were successful.
• March 2000: The Law Commission of Canada finished a big study on children being harmed in institutions in Canada. Their report was called "Restoring Dignity."

* The Law Commission of Canada suggested that the provincial and federal governments should fix past wrongs. They believed this was best for Canadian society.

• October 2004. Members of the New Denver Survivors Collective went to the British Columbia Legislature. They thought they would finally get an apology. Instead, Geoff Plant gave a "statement of regret" on behalf of the BC government.

More About Operation Snatch

The government decided to take the Sons of Freedom children to deal with widespread unrest in the Kootenays. The Federal Department of Justice faced two challenges. They needed to decide where to keep the adults who were found guilty. They also needed to figure out what to do with their children.

Before the residential schools were created, the Sons of Freedom were a concern for British Columbia. They seemed to have issues with any kind of government. They also disagreed with laws and policies being enforced. People and authorities were unhappy because the Sons of Freedom did not register births, deaths, or marriages in their communities. They also did not send their children to public schools. Public worry grew. People feared that the protests, burning of homes, and bombings of bridges and railways were not being handled by the RCMP.

One person, Elsie Ericson, shared her experience. "It was between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Elsie Ericson's mother had just started lighting the stove. Four RCMP officers came into their small wooden home in Krestova, B.C. The child jumped out of bed and hid under it. But she was pulled out by her feet. Elsie and her brother spent the next four years in a place that felt like a jail. They were housed with nearly 200 other children in a residential school in New Denver, B.C."