MONTREAL (CBC) - Parents and elders in the last Algonquin-speaking community in Canada have pulled most of their reserve's young children from an official government-run elementary school over what some in the community say is a continuing attempt to erase their language and culture.

Some of the 650 Algonquins of Barrière Lake living in the remote village of Rapid Lake, or Kitiganik, have set up their own school on the reserve on the shore of Quebec's Cabonga reservoir, about 300 kilometres north of Ottawa.

A few weeks ago, Canada formally apologized for trying to assimilate native children through the residential school system in the 20th century. But some members said the reserve's government-run school has been engaging in similar practices.

The Barrière Lake Algonquins are the last of 10 Algonquin communities in Canada to still speak the language known as Anishnaabe at home. The parents and elders have previously pushed to have more of their language included in the curriculum of Algonquins of Barrière Lake School, where instruction is given primarily in English.

But the band members' main objection is over their claim that the principal and more than one teacher at the government-run school have told the students not to express themselves in their own language in the presence of the non-Anishnaabe-speaking teaching staff, because the staff - most of whom are non-aboriginal - don't understand it.

The parents said the children who spoke their language have had treats withheld and were denied recess.

Grade 2 student Marie Nottaway said her teacher at the government-run school would react quickly to hearing the Algonquin language in class.

"She would tell the principal and then we would all go to the principal's office," Nottaway said. "She said, 'Don't speak Algonquin when your teacher's here.' "

Marylynn Poucachiche, who has five children living on the reserve, told CBC News that the stories people have heard about the government-run institution made many in the community recall the dark legacy of residential schools.

"When our children were told to speak English, it brought back memories for our parents when they went to residential school," she said. "That's why we pulled out the students."

Pierre Nepton, the Indian Affairs Department's second-ranking official in Quebec, denies any policy to assimilate children or punish the use of their traditional language.

Nepton told CBC News that school officials have assured him the charges are not true. He added the school's aim is to prepare the children for secondary schools that are mostly in Maniwaki and Val D'Or, where Algonquin is not spoken.

Leadership dispute

The dispute over the rival schools has been at the centre of a continuing division in the community.

Former Barrière Lake chief Jean-Maurice Matchewan closed Algonquins of Barrière Lake School last November, but the current band council under chief Casey Ratt, which does not recognize the alternative school, reopened the government-run facility in March.

Ratt is recognized as chief by the Indian Affairs Department, but is facing a leadership challenge from rival Benjamin Nottaway. Nottaway is a proponent of the alternative school whose supporters in the community are demanding Indian Affairs recognize him as the rightly chosen successor to Matchewan, who stepped down after being charged for allegedly having marijuana and a handgun in his car.

In January, band members and elders opened the unofficial school - known as Kitchi Migwam or "great wigwam" in their language - which two-thirds of the community's elementary school children now attend. The children remaining at the government-run school now barely outnumber the staff.

Community elder Basil Anichi-Napeo told CBC News he volunteered to teach at the alternative school because the children at the official school were losing their language.

The alternative school is staffed by six volunteers and has 46 students who receive instruction heavily focused on language, while the curriculum also includes traditional learning and bushcraft.

Both schools are closed for the summer, but where the children will be in the fall remains a mystery.

"Right now, we've got a school open, and we just hope that the parents will send their kids to school," Indian Affairs' Nepton said. "Otherwise, I don't know what will be the future of those kids, but I guess those parents are taking care of that."

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