April 1, 2022
Statement from Premier Heather Stefanson and Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere on Apology from Pope Francis
The Manitoba government acknowledges and appreciates Pope Francis’ apology to Indigenous peoples for the involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in the residential school system in Canada.
First Nations, Inuit and Métis leadership, survivors and families have been calling on the Catholic Church for a formal apology and recognition of their truths and the trauma and intergenerational impacts that have been endured due to the painful legacy of attending residential schools.
The tragic knowledge of potentially more than 6,000 unmarked graves, with many more to be identified, of the children who attended Indian residential schools across Canada is a grim reminder of the cruel impact that these schools have had – and are still having – on the lives of Indigenous children, families, communities and survivors. It is a reminder that as we work to reconcile our relationships, we must also reconcile with our past.
The apology from Pope Francis acknowledges the tragedies of the past. However, so much more work needs to be done. It is imperative that as a country we listen, learn and support the healing needed to address the intergenerational trauma caused by the residential school system.
Our government is committed to working collaboratively with residential school survivors, families, Indigenous leadership and communities, elders and knowledge keepers to support the very important and necessary process of truth-telling and healing that will collectively help us move toward reconciling these historical wrongs and ensuring this never happens again.
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