(OTTAWA, May 1, 2018) “On behalf of the 133 Chiefs in Ontario, as well as the survivors of the St. Anne’s Residential School, we wish to congratulate NDP MP Charlie Angus and the 268 Members of Parliament from all parties who voted today in support of calling upon the Pope to apologize to Residential school survivors.
The motion reads:
That In responding to the call of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to move our nation on a path of true healing for the crimes of the residential school era, the House:
(a) Invite Pope Francis to participate in this journey with Canadians by responding to Call to Action 58 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report and issue a formal papal apology for the role of the Canadian Catholic Church in the establishment, operations and abuses of the residential schools,
(b) Call upon the Canadian Catholic Church to live up to their moral obligation and the spirit of the 2006 Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement and resume best efforts to raise the full amount of the agreed upon funds
(c) To call on the Catholic entities that were involved in the running of the residential schools to make a consistent and sustained effort to turn over relevant documents when called upon by survivors of residential schools, their families and scholars working to understand the full scope of the horrors of the residential school system in the interest of truth and reconciliation.
To quote Charlie Angus in reaction to the St. Anne’s survivors visiting Parliament when the motion was debated last Thursday: “The presence of the St. Anne’s survivors had a huge impact on the politicians in the House of Commons. Your presence humanized a House that is often combative and mean. I saw many tough MPs cry today as they spoke of the need to get justice done.”
Today’s historic motion was only accomplished thanks to the to the very hard work, under very difficult and emotional circumstances, by the St. Anne’s survivors and Mr. Angus. Today is a victory for them and all Canadians who embrace Reconciliation. It is now up to the Pope and the Catholic Church to respond.
This effort by the House of Commons sends a strong collective message that Truth and Reconciliation is of national and of non-partisan importance.” Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day
