The three-day conference brings together those who endured the residential school process, First Nations leaders and experts to talk about the political agreement on residential schools the Assembly of First Nations signed with the federal government in May...
In the keynote address Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine laid out a series of conditions that need to be met to allow the remaining natives who were forced into the schools to forgive...
Fontaine said the horrendous physical and sexual abuse and the attempt to erase First Nations culture at the schools must never be forgotten.
But he warned that First Nations must "take the burden off ourselves so we don't place in our the shoulders of our children."
Fontaine called for a national truth-telling process so both natives and Canadians can learn of the "tragic chapter" in Canadian history.
He also wants a national apology from the prime minister to all of Canada.
"We're not talking about a statement of regret. We're not talking about a statement of reconcilation. . .we're talking about a full apology presented to the survivors."
This would seem to be an eminently reasonably request. And an earlier speech from Fontaine seemed to suggest that Martin had made such a commitment, though the article cited suggests that he was still publicly dithering. This needs to get done.
As an interesting aside, a Canadian Google search for "Martin residential schools apology" turns up both NDP Martins demanding an apology as the top two items, with only tangential references to PMPM later in the list. Just in case there was any doubt which party is standing up for Canada's First Nations.
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