'Our children have had enough': Indigenous Albertans seeking truth, apology in meeting with Pope
For 85-year-old Metis Elder Angie Crerar, a face-to-face meeting with Pope Francis is about much more than her own experience in a Canadian residential school.
"It's something we've waited for, for over 150 years. It's time. Our children have had enough," she said Thursday in Edmonton.
"I can't tell you how important it is for us that we reached the Pope. Our children deserve to have peace."
Crerar is part of a delegation that will travel to the Vatican this month to meet with the Pope, seeking truth and reconciliation on residential schools.
About 25 people will be on the trip, including three Albertans.
While a prime minister and other church leaders have apologized for residential schools, the leader of the Catholic Church has not.
"Yes, they received other gifts of learning, but also recognizing that their language and culture sometimes was suppressed," said Bishop William McGrattan from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary.
"We do recognize there was an impact and a devastation on that generation, and that currently in our own education system that we make sure that our students understand that."
AN APOLOGY IS 'IN THE HANDS OF GOD': BISHOP
After the Canadian delegation returns, Pope Francis is expected to travel to Canada.
But it's not clear if he will apologize publicly or not.
"Those words that we’ve been looking for, for a long time. You know, and those words are quite simple on paper, easy to write out, but they’re hard to say," Delegate Gary Gagnon said.
Survivors across the country are demanding more than an apology. Some are pushing for a full release of church documents and monetary reparations to survivors and their families.
McGrattan acknowledged a $30 million agreement to make reparations, but he didn't explain why that hasn't all been paid yet.
He pointed out that Canadian bishops have apologized to residential school survivors.
As for the papal apology, McGrattan said, "that's in the hands of God. That's in the hands of Pope Francis."
To Crerar, atonement is only possible with a full accounting of the truth.
"We always had faith. And we never gave up, and we never ever, ever will," she said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Touria Izri
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.