Prince Albert bishop optimistic about TRC report

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The report released Tuesday includes 94 recommendations.  Some of those recommendations include all levels of government adopting and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as “the framework for reconciliation.”

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Other recommendations include reducing the number of aboriginal children in foster care to restrictions on the use of conditional and mandatory minimum sentences.  The report also recommends the Pope issue an apology on behalf of the church.

“I think when the First Nations people went to see Pope Benedict a few years ago, that was the beginning of the process. I guess it would be the right to say we’re sorry for what happened and it won’t happen again in the future,” said Thevenot.

Thevenot said the church should be kept separate from politics and so when the church and government collaborated with residential schools, mistakes were bound to happen.

“I don’t think they realized the long-term effect that this would have on the children of trying to live out what the government really wanted.  I think it was some form of assimilation and for the church it was some form of conversion,” he said.

The report represents the culmination of six years of extensive study into the church-run, government-funded institutions, which operated for more than 120 years.

It is now up to the federal government to decide how many of the recommendations it will implement.

Meanwhile, Bishop Thevenot is hoping that the church and First Nations people can work on their relationship by sitting down and having a conversation.

“I think the days of imposing things is past. I think we have to listen to one another and see what the best way is we can work together in view of encouraging First Nations spirituality and us, for the Christian faith, in how we can bring these two together.” 

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell