Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 19/05) - A man who broke into a Roman Catholic parish hall because he was angry at the church for decades of residential school abuses, has been sentenced to 11 months in jail.

"I struck out because they hurt so many of my people," said Michael Abel, during an appearance in territorial court Tuesday afternoon. "I wanted the church to feel something."

Abel pleaded guilty to four charges during an earlier court hearing, including two counts of break and enter. He admitted to breaking into St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church in downtown Yellowknife on Sept. 30, 2004.

Abel, who was drinking that night, said he was upset with the church for running residential schools across the North. The institutions - which were also operated by the Anglican Church and the federal government - are infamous for their brutal treatment of aboriginal students, many of whom were pried from their families and sexually abused.

Fall-out

Abel, who did not attend residential school but was a ward of the state, said the fallout stretched from one generation to the next.

"We are the offspring of residential school (students)," Abel said, pointing to the disproportionate number of aboriginals behind bars. "You can't say there are no effects."

Abel was also convicted on a second charge of break and enter and two breaches of probation. "His behaviour shows a complete disregard for the law and court orders," said judge Robert Gorin, who handed down the sentence.

"The community is not prepared to stand for this behaviour."

Abel has a long criminal record that includes several convictions for property crimes.