Gordon Campbell: On The Crown’s Sorry Excuse For An Apology

The world over, politicians are finding “sorry” to be the easiest word. Without disclosing the size and formula of the monetary compensation that the government is prepared to offer to those abused while in state care, a mere apology verges on being another form of abuse. There is plenty of scope for healthy scepticism about the sincerity of today’s apology pageant. To some extent, the government is using these historical atrocities to showcase its own capacity for compassion, but without letting the victims know the substance of the Crown’s reparations.