(Ottawa, ON) 8 avril 2022 - La Fondation autochtone de l’espoir (FAE) est très reconnaissante de la déclaration d'excuses présentée par le Pape François au nom de l'Église catholique romaine reconnaissant le rôle de cette dernière en ce qui a trait aux pensionnats indiens. La nécessité de présenter des excuses était évidente, puisque l'Église catholique, l’institution qui dirigeait la grande majorité des pensionnats du Canada, a enlevé plus de 150 000 enfants autochtones à leurs familles et à leurs communautés, leur a interdit de parler leur langue ou de pratiquer leur culture, et les a soumis à d'horribles abus dans le but de les dépouiller de leur identité culturelle. Les excuses exprimées par le Pape François le 1er avril dernier constituent un moment historique pour les Survivants et Survivantes, leurs familles et tous les peuples autochtones du Canada qui ont subi d'immenses blessures à cause des politiques blessantes de la colonisation. Elles représentent une étape importante vers la création d'un meilleur avenir pour les peuples autochtones.

The Pope’s apology at the Vatican came after a series of meetings with more than 30 First Nations, Inuit and Métis delegates, and was the result of many years of tireless work by Survivors, their families, Indigenous voices across Canada, and other advocates. The LHF sincerely thanks all of those who made this moment possible. Hopefully, this apology will help assist Survivors, Intergenerational Survivors, and others who were impacted by the legacy of Residential Schools within their ongoing healing journeys.

The Pope’s statement also includes equally important future plans to support healing and Reconciliation efforts between the Catholic Church and Indigenous peoples. One of the most prominent of these is the Pope’s promise to deliver a more detailed public apology on Canadian soil, which reflects the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 58th Call to Action. This apology will come as an important occasion for those Survivors and their families who couldn’t make the trip to Rome, and signifies a crucial moment of healing because it will take place within the country where the atrocities occurred, as well as the ancestral land of those who were forced to attend these schools.

“Hearing the Pope say that he is very sorry meant a great deal to myself and other Indigenous peoples who are grappling with the deep and widespread wounds inflicted by Residential Schools. I am hopeful that this step taken by the Catholic Church is the first of many steps that it will take to ensure it remains accountable for its wrongdoings, and represents a true commitment to a path of healing and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. I am also looking forward to seeing the Pope come to Canada to publicly apologize for Residential Schools, which will be a hugely meaningful moment for all,” said the LHF Board President Adam North Peigan.

As the Pope and the Catholic Church continues to take action to help atone for the Church’s role within Residential Schools, the LHF will persist in the work it does to educate all Canadians about the important history of Indigenous Peoples within Canada, as well as provide further awareness about the harmful effects of Residential Schools, and how they continue to impact Indigenous Peoples so we can begin to address the discrimination, injustices and trauma and begin to foster Reconciliation in Canada.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for over 21 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and impact of the Residential and Day School Systems, and the Sixties Scoop on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities. This is one of the ways in which the LHF is working to promote hope and healing in Canada. The LHF is also committed to works to encouraging people to address discrimination and injustice in order to contribute to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples and to foster Reconciliation.

La FAE dispose de plus de 25 expositions accessibles au public et travaille à rendre ses autres expositions disponibles en ligne. La Fondation possède également des programmes d'enseignement de la maternelle à la 12e année et pour les adultes, ainsi que des guides d'activités visant à sensibiliser les Canadiens à l'histoire autochtone et à l'histoire commune des pensionnats et des externats, de la Rafle des années 60, etc. La FAE travaille à développer l'empathie et la compréhension afin d'éliminer le racisme à l’égard des peuples autochtones.

Pour les demandes médiatiques, contactez :
Teresa Edwards, B.A., LL.B. JD. Directrice générale et conseillère juridique interne Fondation autochtone de l’espoir Courriel:info@legacyofhope.ca Téléphone:613-237-4806, poste 303