Pope FrancisSA国际影视传媒檚 visit captured national and international headlines. Like many across Canada, I watched live updates and listened to the long-awaited apology.
The pope started his visit with an apology and ended it in Iqaluit with an apology. Throughout what was described as SA国际影视传媒減enitential pilgrimage,SA国际影视传媒� a journey of healing and reconciliation, the pope apologized and asked for forgiveness.
There is no doubt that the long-awaited apology brought some peace to survivors, their families and all those affected. At the same time, this reopened wounds that are not healed yet and brought memories that are traumatizing and painful.
With apology comes forgiveness, but forgiveness doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mean forgetfulness or indifference. Is it time to close this chapter and move on? The apology is an important step on the path of reconciliation. However, the journey is far from over. Now is the time to ensure that words are always followed by action.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a genocide
On his way back to Rome, Pope Francis mentioned that everything he said about residential schools and forced assimilation amounts to SA国际影视传媒済enocide.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 asked for forgiveness for what has been done, which was genocide, and I did condemn this,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭o take away children, to change the culture, their mindset, their traditions SA国际影视传媒� to change a race, an entire cultureSA国际影视传媒� yes I (do) use the word genocide.SA国际影视传媒�
The United Nations defines genocide as a number of acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Such acts include:
-killing members of the group
-causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
-deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction, in whole or in part
-imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
-forcibly transferring children of the group to another group
LetSA国际影视传媒檚 go through the above checklist and identify acts committed following, and during, colonization of this land. I have put a check mark on most of the list, if not all. We canSA国际影视传媒檛 afford to turn our backs to the legacy of colonization. Many times, nations turn their back to history, but this is not even history. Survivors and their families are still mourning, and their wounds havenSA国际影视传媒檛 healed yet. Families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit individuals are still waiting for justice.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has documented 4,118 children who died at residential schools thus far. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls described the violence against Indigenous women and girls as a genocide. This not a genocide of the past. Survivors and those who are affected relive the pain through traumatizing memories.
I invite each one of us to look up locations of residential schools around us, where we live. Between 1995 and 1998, the final residential schools closed. This is not history, and many of us are old enough to have witnessed the presence of this evil legacy.
Implement Calls to Action
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 our collective responsibility to ensure that all governments (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) as well as institutions implement all of the Truth and Reconciliation CommissionSA国际影视传媒檚 (TRCSA国际影视传媒檚) Calls to Action. LetSA国际影视传媒檚 ask the tough questions: how many of those Calls to Action have been implemented? And what will it take to implement them all across Canada?
National media did tremendous work last week in covering the popeSA国际影视传媒檚 visit, meetings and apologies. Following this, we must expect no less than media exposure on progress: implementation of TRC calls to action, how many of them are implemented and reports on promises and whether theySA国际影视传媒檝e been fulfilled or not. The story is newsworthy SA国际影视传媒� and national media must realize that.
Silence is not an option in facing injustices.
LetSA国际影视传媒檚 hold the space for Indigenous communities. Being in solidarity must be translated to being an ally and taking action led by Indigenous communities, leaders and activists. To all Indigenous friends, I know that the past few days brought back traumatizing memories, please know that there are many resources available and there are allies who will always strive, and stand by your side, to end all forms of discrimination and injustices. Your resiliency and courage make the North, and this nation strong.
Please visit Truth and Reconciliation Centre website, www.nctr.ca, where you can access resources and download TRC Commission Calls to Action and other important reports.
Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.
