'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
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.