By Bryan Eneas

FSIN calls for residential school era apology

May 25, 2017 | 12:00 PM

Indigenous leaders from across Canada are calling on the highest office of the Catholic Church for an apology.

“It would be very meaningful to the First Nations people if the Pope could stand on these Treaty lands and apologize on behalf of the Catholic Church, right where we could have the Indian Residential School survivors there to hear,” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron said.

At the FSIN spring assembly last week, the Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde also called on the Pope to apologize for the church’s involvement in the residential school system.

According to a release issued by the federation, Saskatchewan has the highest number of residential school survivors in Canada.

Cameron said for the apology to meet the Truth and Reconciliations’ calls to action, it should be issued on treaty lands.

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“It would be a big step forward for the church, and a powerful moment for survivors, spiritually and emotionally, to have Pope Francis apologize in person,” Cameron said. “We personally sent a letter of invitation to the Vatican.”

The AFN also sent a letter to the Vatican, asking the Pope to visit the province in 2018.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to ask Pope Francis to issue a formal apology during his face-to-face later this week at the Vatican.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas