The president of the Métis National Council made a call for the Queen to apologise for the Canadian residential school crisis in order to help survivors and their families heal. Cassidy Caron (pictured) says residential school survivors told her that an apology from the Queen would be important since she is the leader of the Read more
Survivors of Canada’s residential schools say they should decide when and where the pope comes to apologise. The apology must be given to all survivors, and some would not feel comfortable attending a traditional Catholic event, the angry survivors say. The comments from the current indigenous leaders represent a new generation that wants redress rather Read more
The Archbishop of Canterbury will hold an informal meeting with residential school survivors next month in Brantford. The Most Rev. Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is visiting Canada from April 29 to May 3 to highlight the church’s desire to pursue reconciliation with indigenous people. Read more
Like walking through the snow and seeing fresh moose tracks. This is National Chief, Gerald Antoine’s description of Pope Francis’ apology for the part the Catholic Church played in Canada’s residential school system. “That is the feeling that I have, because there is a possibility,” he said moments after the apology. “Today is a day Read more
Indigenous leaders say Pope Francis must be ready to deliver an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools if he visits Canada. “An apology is the beginning,” said Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme. “An apology is required, and the rebuilding of a relationship would follow the apology.” The Saskatchewan First Nation made Read more
A judge in Saskatchewan is refusing to release a document outlining how the Catholic Church fulfilled Residential School reparations to First Nation people. The alleged document details $25 million in “in-kind” services the Catholic Church provided as compensation for Residential school survivors — one of their obligations in the Residential School Settlement of 2006. Court Read more
Sunday masses are being cancelled at the Winnipeg Catholic church, where a Canadian priest questioned the motives of residential school survivors. The Archdiocese of St. Boniface said Saturday that the three masses scheduled for Sunday at St. Emile Catholic Church have been cancelled on the recommendation of Winnipeg police. During a July 10 mass, Father Read more
In the last two months, over 1,000 unmarked graves of Indigenous children at four residential schools have been discovered in Canada: 182 at St. Eugene’s Mission School and 215 at Kamloops Indian Residential School (British Columbia), 104 at Brandon Indian Residential School (Manitoba), and up to 751 at Marieval Indian Residential School(Saskatchewan). And there will Read more
His story doesn’t begin with a stranger in shadow-black darkening the door of his log cabin, but it is the first thing he mentions. It was the day in 1955 the priest came with papers in hand and the determination to steal away Dave Rundle, 10, and his brother Lawrence, 5, from their parents and Read more
Statues have been toppled, and at least 11 churches vandalised in Canadian protests over the historical treatment of indigenous people. Tensions boiled over after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves in residential schools. The graves are thought to belong to indigenous Canadians. A statue of Queen Victoria was toppled during protests in Winnipeg, Manitoba Read more