Indigenous leaders call for apology, compensation from Pope amid possible Canadian visit
amid calls for him to apologize for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools, Indigenous leaders say his visit must be "more than a gesture" in order to have an impact on reconciliation.
"The TRC was very specific about not just coming here, but making an apology, providing whatever funds are needed to do all of the memorial and identifying of these unmarked graves, to also compensate the victims… so it's far more than just a visit to have any real impact on reconciliation," Palmater said.Palmater said Pope Francis also needs to offer a "very purposeful and intentional" apology.
The TRC's final report estimates that 6,000 children died while attending the schools, although many say the number could be as high as 15,000. While a papal apology may happen, LeMay said there is no guarantee that all First Nations, Inuit and Metis will accept it. She said the Catholic Church has to offer more than just words in order to reconcile with these groups, including compensation for survivors and victims' families, releasing church documents related to residential schools, and return Indigenous land.
However, LeMay noted that not everyone will feel that way and that the response will be "mixed." She said Pope Francis may do more harm and re-traumatize Indigenous people if he comes to Canada and in fact does not apologize for the Catholic Church's part in residential schools. "We are optimistic that the Pope will finally deliver the long-overdue apology for the role the Catholic church played in the devastating experiment of assimilation and genocide that was conducted over more than a century at Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. NWAC has publicly called, on many occasions, for this visit and for this apology. If they happen, they will be important steps toward reconciliation," Groulx said in an emailed statement Wednesday.
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