Trudeau Seeks Church's Apology Over Treatment of Aborigines In Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged Pope Francis to visit Canada so that he could extend the Catholic Church's apology for the mistreatment of many aboriginal children in Catholic schools in Canada.
The Prime Minister and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau were in the Vatican on Monday and met with the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The private audience with the pontiff lasted for more than 30 minutes, according to Macleans. The prime minister took the opportunity to seek an apology from the pope for the role the Catholic Church played in the former residential school system in Canada that maltreated many indigenous people.
Towards the end of the 19th century, around 150,000 aboriginal children, or an estimated 30 percent of the nation's native children, were put up in "residential schools" to mold them away from their local and ancestral language and culture.
The schools were run by Christian churches mostly composed of Roman Catholics, Reuters reported.
A Truth and Reconciliation Commission found out that many of the children under the system were physically and sexually abused. The system also reportedly imposed practices that were similar to "cultural genocide."
Among the recommendations made the commission is for Canada to seek a formal apology from the head of the Catholic Church to the survivors and their families as part of their reconciliation efforts.
Trudeau invited the pope to pay a visit to Canda to fomally issue the apology.
Speaking to reporters after his audience with Pope Francis, the prime minister relayed his objective in urging the pope to apologize.
"I told him how important it is for Canadians to move forward on real reconciliation with the indigenous peoples and I highlighted how he could help by issuing an apology," Trudeau said.
Francis expressed his openness to do so and stressed to the prime minister that "his entire life has been dedicated to supporting marginalized people in the world."
Trudeau and the pope also talked about climate change and exchanged gifts towards the end of their meeting.
While no exact date had been set for Pope Francis' visit to Canada, some bishops said he might visit the country in 2018.
