A delegation of Indigenous leaders from Canada met with King Charles III on Thursday, where they talked about reconciliation and the need to build a strong relationship going forward.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed and Metis National Council President Cassidy Caron had an audience at Buckingham Palace, just two days before the KingSA国际影视传媒檚 coronation on Saturday.

Archibald said the meeting was a chance to SA国际影视传媒渆volve the relationship with the Crown,SA国际影视传媒� which predates confederation.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the issues that is important to us is that nation-to-nation relationship that we have had and continue to have,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that the meeting was SA国际影视传媒渧ery positive.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚t was also an opportunity for us to connect to the King on things that matter to him, things that also matter to us and that we can work together on.SA国际影视传媒�

Obed said the leaders were also able to talk about the issues facing their communities, and all three of them invited the King to visit Canada to continue the work of reconciliation.

As prince of Wales, King Charles spoke often of the importance of reconciliation with Indigenous people, which was one of the priorities of his three-day visit to Canada last year. In a closing speech in Yellowknife, the King said he had been SA国际影视传媒渄eeply movedSA国际影视传媒� by the stories of residential school survivors heSA国际影视传媒檇 met, and publicly acknowledged their suffering.

Many Indigenous leaders have urged the monarchy to go further in addressing the harms of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 colonial legacy, and Archibald is among those who has previously called for an apology.

But the three leaders all said that ThursdaySA国际影视传媒檚 meeting was about establishing a positive relationship, and that the tougher conversations will come later.

Obed said the relationship moving forward will include both easier parts, such as agreements to promote Indigenous arts and culture, and more difficult ones.

SA国际影视传媒淭he challenges around the colonial history and a lot of the associated issues with that, I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think that the King has thought that those arenSA国际影视传媒檛 going to be on the table,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut certainly we will have to proceed as best we can in light of the real limitations that all of us have in doing things for our respective institutions.SA国际影视传媒�

Archibald said the meeting wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the right time to raise the issue of an apology, but rather a chance to set the groundwork for the future. She said the leaders hope to meet with the King again, both virtually and during an eventual in-person visit.

Caron agreed, adding that she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 believe the meeting was merely symbolic.

SA国际影视传媒淭o be able to sit down as First Nations, Metis and Inuit and share with him who we are and what our priorities are as a people, and identify the ways that we can work together into the future, is really important to us,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

She said the fact that King Charles made time for the meeting only two days before the coronation was SA国际影视传媒渟incerely meaningful,SA国际影视传媒� and bodes well for a future relationship.

Other Indigenous leaders have also travelled to London for the coronation events, including several grand chiefs from Manitoba.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee and Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said in a joint interview that theySA国际影视传媒檝e come in part to remind the King of his treaty relationship with CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Indigenous people.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e here to remind the new King that he has to restore that relationship he had with Indigenous people because we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 sign treaties with Canada, we signed treaties with the Crown,SA国际影视传媒� Settee said.

He said the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous people dates back to the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which viewed the association as a nation-to-nation one. However, he said that changed over time as Indigenous people started to be treated as SA国际影视传媒渨ardsSA国际影视传媒� rather than partners, resulting in poverty, marginalization and broken treaty promises.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is something the monarchy needs to address because the relationship weSA国际影视传媒檝e had has not been a very good relationship,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

He would like to see the King take concrete steps, including refuting the Doctrine of Discovery, which was used to legitimize the seizure of Indigenous land, and make a new proclamation to complement the one made in 1763, which would reaffirm the recognition of Indigenous nationhood.

Merrick said sheSA国际影视传媒檇 like to see the Crown follow up with its representatives in Canada to help move forward priorities such as the return of land, resource revenue sharing and a new Indigenous citizenship system.

She also believes the King should apologize.

SA国际影视传媒淚 believe an apology should be said in terms of how our people were treated and in terms of giving that authority to Canada to treat the way they treated our people,SA国际影视传媒� she said. However, she added that the chiefsSA国际影视传媒� presence in London is a gesture of goodwill.

SA国际影视传媒淭oday weSA国际影视传媒檙e moving forward,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e very happy weSA国际影视传媒檙e able to be here to celebrate him becoming King, so hopefully that relationship begins moving forward.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press