WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.
BC Indigenous representatives preparing to travel to Edmonton this weekend for the Pope’s first stop on his Canadian papal visit say they hope the tight itinerary will still allow them the important conversations they hope to have.
Pope Francis will make stops in Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut from July 24 to 29 to apologize in person for the wrongs done to indigenous people by Roman Catholic priests and nuns who ran abusive residential schools in Canada.
Deborah Page of the Saik’uz First Nation says both her mother and grandmother were residential school survivors and suffered years of intergenerational trauma.
“My family suffered a lot of loss,” she told CBC News. “All my aunts died before I was 51. My mother died when she was 49. My other aunt died when I was 35. My sister committed suicide in 2008, and then my great niece to be found in an inner-city women’s shelter after an overdose. .”
She said she was disappointed with the Pope’s apology when First Nations, Inuit and Metis delegations went to the Vatican earlier this year.
Chief Vernon Saddleback walks past a photo of a residential school at a press conference to announce Pope Francis’ visit to Maskwacis, Alta., Monday, June 27, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press )
“I was a little disappointed that he apologized for what some of the Catholic members did to hurt our people, but he didn’t apologize for the church in general,” Page said.
The Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, a member of the Heitsulk First Nation and executive director of the First United Church of Vancouver, says this weekend’s trip is too short to have heavy conversations with the Pope, but she hopes it will be a catalyst for a deeper meeting.
“It’s such a short visit and there’s no way to reproduce the amount of testimony and deep listening that’s required,” he said.
She says she is concerned that the trip will focus on scheduled mass celebrations and limited time and not leave enough time for meaningful conversations and meetings with survivors.
“Indigenous peoples are inviting the Pope and asking him to come to Canada to really listen and understand why a full apology, restitution and living amends are required,” Landsdowne said.
important dialogue
Rosanne Casimir, the chief of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc near Kamloops, B.C., says she and other First Nation delegates will head to Edmonton this weekend and hope to hear an extended apology from the Pope.
“Going to Edmonton will be something I’m looking forward to,” he told CBC’s Daybreak South, “We had the opportunity to really share with him the impacts of residential schools and apologize.”
Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 (chief) Rosanne Casimir says more dialogue is needed to increase funds for residential school survivors and publish historical documents. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)
He says more talks are needed with the Pope to discuss issues such as fundraising for residential school survivors, the exchange of artifacts and, most importantly, the release of all historical documents related to the residential schools.
“The apology from our last papal visit … contained no acts of contrition or what the retribution will be on the road to reconciliation and healing,” Casimir said.
Landsdowne says he hopes this visit will be the start of more dialogue with the Roman Catholic church.
“While this ride doesn’t contain as much dialogue as I’d like, I look forward to it [the Pope’s] hearts and minds have been changed, and this trip inspires a desire to really … make meaningful life changes for Indigenous people in Canada,” he said.
Support is available for anyone affected by the lingering effects of residential centers and those triggered by the latest reports. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society can be reached toll-free at 1-800-721-0066.
A National Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line has been set up to support alumni and those affected. Access crisis and emotional referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
In BC, the KUU-US Crisis Line Society offers a First Nations and Indigenous specific crisis line available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is free and can be reached at 1-800-588-8717 or online at kuu-uscrisisline.com.