On elven clans and their mages - the sad thing about Minaeve is that it's implied she won't pass her Harrowing, and she's developed a fatalistic affinity for the Tranquil. In the Circle, she's doomed. And that's as the Chantry thinks it should be. We don't know why Minaeve's clan did what they did, but the inference is they wanted her to live: they didn't kill her, they told her to run. It's still awful, but unlike the Chantry, it says their last resort is 'let her go - and hope'.
That’s actually a really neat observation. I’d never realized that implication before. I’ll have to pay more attention the next time I play through.
But yeah, you’re totally right. She is doomed in the Circle, no matter what she does. If she didn’t pass her Harrowing, she’d be dead. And if she didn’t take it at all, she’d be Tranquil, which is probably an even worse Fate. And yes, the Chantry as no problem with that. That’s how it should be, in their minds.
But the Dalish did try to give her a chance. They gave her supplies and told her to run, to try and stay alive. If they wanted her dead, they would’ve killed her, or sent her off with nothing. It may be awful, yes, but you’re right in that it is very different from how the Chantry handles things.
