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residential schools

So The Pope Apologized, Now An Indigenous Organizer Wants To See Montreal Christians Step Up

It's been almost eight months since the pope's public apology for violence committed by members of the Catholic church against Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island, especially through the residential school system. But, critically, he stopped short of acknowledging fault by the church itself, some believe this to be a major oversight. In Montreal, the relationship between the Catholic church and Indigenous community organizers remains complicated.

When asked in early August, the executive director of the Native Women's Shelter and co-director of Resilience Montreal, Nakuset, told MTL Blog that the Catholic church had not yet contributed to the work Resilience does. Following the pope's apology, Nakuset penned an open letter calling on Christians to take action through donations and fundraising to directly support community-led organizations, like Resilience, that support residential school survivors.

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Pope Francis Has Issued An Historic Apology To Indigenous Residential School Survivors

The papal visit to Canada started with a long-awaited apology to Indigenous survivors of residential schools, who were subject to grave abuses by the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis toured the cemetery of the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School in Alberta on Monday — one of the largest residential schools in Canada, where overcrowding and disease led to the documented deaths of over a dozen children. Physical, psychological and sexual abuse was also rampant at the site, as with many of the Catholic-run facilities.

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Pope Francis Will Make Stops In Quebec During His Visit To Canada This Summer

Pope Francis will make his first official visit to Canada this summer. The trip will "focus on Indigenous healing and reconciliation," the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a press release. The visit follows the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools, many of which were Catholic-run.

In April, Francis issued a formal apology for abuses perpetrated by members of the Catholic church against Indigenous people in Canada.

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The Pope Has Apologized For Catholic Church Abuses Of Indigenous People In Canada

Pope Francis has issued a formal apology to Indigenous people in Canada for the abuses perpetrated by some Catholics, "especially those with educational responsibilities," at residential schools. The religious leader delivered his remarks to a room of just under 200 representatives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities — many of whom are residential school survivors who travelled to the Vatican to meet with the Pope this past week.

Over 150,000 Indigenous children in Canada were forced to attend government-funded Christian schools starting in 1831. The last residential school closed in 1997.

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A March In Montreal On Truth & Reconciliation Day Declared ‘Every Child Matters’ (PHOTOS)

Despite the fact that Quebec did not recognize Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, the streets of Montreal were filled with Indigenous leaders, activists and allies on September 30. They came together to share an important message: "Every Child Matters."

The Every Child Matters / Chaque Enfant Compte march was organized by the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal and Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL).

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Legault Says September 30 Won't Be A Holiday In Quebec Because 'We Need More Productivity'

While being pursued by journalists on his way out of the National Assembly on Thursday, Quebec Premier François Legault gave a short answer as to why September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, isn't a statutory holiday in the province.

"We need more productivity," the premier said in response to a journalist's question.

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September 30 Isn't A Statutory Holiday In Quebec — Here's What's Open & Closed

Canada's new statutory holiday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on September 30. The holiday "honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities."

Quebec won't be observing it as a statutory holiday, but there are some places in Montreal that will be closed.

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Waka Flocka Flame's Quebec Show Has Been Cancelled 'Out Of Respect' For Mohawk Community

Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame was set to perform at the Oka Kanehsatake Music and DJ Festival on July 31, but event organizers have cancelled the show, citing solidarity with the Indigenous community.

Miguel Lopez and Rickey Daley, the festival's organizer and promoter, respectively, told MTL Blog the Mohawks of Kanesatake were originally on board with having a concert on their territory. But they said perspectives shifted after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools across Canada.

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