'Step it up': Alberta Indigenous elder pushes Trudeau to hold Catholic Church accountable
An Indigenous elder in Edmonton is calling on the prime minister to do more to help keep the Catholic Church accountable for its role in the residential school system.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on the Catholic Church to “step up” and take responsibility for its role in the residential school system.
He noted that he personally asked the pope back in 2017 to consider making an apology for the institution’s part in church-run, government-sponsored schools for Indigenous children that operated for more than 120 years in Canada.
"We're still seeing resistance from the church," Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa. "Possibly from the church in Canada."
Trudeau said it's going to be important for Catholics across the country to reach out themselves to bishops and cardinals on this issue. He added that Catholics need to make it clear they expect the church to take responsibility for its role in the residential school system and help efforts in reconciliation.
“Make it clear that we expect the church to step up and take responsibility for its role in this,” he said. "Be there to help in the grieving and the healing, including with records that are necessary.”
For Augustine, the prime minister’s remarks fell well short of standing up for Indigenous people.
“I think our prime minister could step it up and hold (the church) accountable,” Augustine said. “This is a criminal act.
“It’s an act of genocide and he needs to name that. Not cultural genocide, because when a human body is found that’s no longer cultural.”
The Indigenous elder told CTV News Edmonton that it is unacceptable for the Catholic Church to refuse releasing archival documents.
“This cone of silence that this church has put on since these children have been buried, they know about it and how many other children (have been lost),” she added. “That’s being an accomplice in the crime of murder. In a mass murder.”
- Missing residential school records: Vatican won't release documents, feds destroyed files
- Identifying children's remains at B.C. residential school stalled by lack of records
“Release the documents, because what criminal can get away with keeping documents hidden, evidence hidden,” Augustine said. “Why is it that the Catholic Church can do that?”
Augustine and a group of Indigenous-Edmontonians have been outside St. Joseph’s Basilica for six days gathering pairs of shoes and making tipis.
A group of Indigenous-Edmontonians have been constructing tiny tipis and placing them in front of St. Joseph's Bascilica in Edmonton to help honour those lost at the Kamloops Residential School (CTV News Edmonton)
In Augustine’s view, it is not enough for the prime minister to ask Canadians to pressure the Catholic Church to release records.
“Justin, wake up,” she said. “You’re being too soft. Man up Justin!”
Richard Smith, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, said in a statement that the archdiocese is committing to releasing any documents on residential schools that it has.
“We regret and acknowledge the role played by Catholic organizations in the residential school system, and in sorrow offer profound condolences to the families and communities,” he said.
Back in 2014, Archbishop Smith, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, apologized to Indigenous peoples who experienced sexual and physical abuse while attending Catholic administered residential schools.
The archdiocese committed to “full transparency” for its archives and records, and offered any support to help Indigenous peoples and the “long road towards reconciliation.”
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING Critical injuries to 7 people in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash
Ontario Provincial Police say seven people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont.
Barron Trump selected to be a Florida delegate at Republican National Convention
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, was selected by the Florida GOP as an at-large delegate for Florida at the Republican National Convention, according to a list of delegates obtained by CNN.