Canada's New Democrats are glad to see Pope Francis issue this apology to the First Nations, Métis and Inuit delegates.
Today's apology comes from years of advocacy from Indigenous people and is a necessary step for the Catholic Church to make on its reconciliation journey.
We are hopeful that the Church will continue on this journey and that Pope Francis’ visit to Canada will continue this work. His apology to all First Nations, Métis and Inuit while visiting with Survivors in Canada will be important.
In addition to issuing a formal apology to survivors, their families, and communities, the Pope should work with survivors and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to ensure all documents related to Indian Residential Schools in possession by the Catholic Church are released. Pope Francis should also use the powers of the Church to ensure that the perpetrators of abuse, including Johannes Rivoire, are held accountable for the crimes they are alleged to have committed.
Canadian activists detained by Israel last month while taking part in an aid flotilla trying to reach Gaza say Canada isn’t doing enough to call out treatment by Israeli officials that Ottawa has called appalling.
While Israel has rejected claims of abuse, flotilla participant Ehab Lotayef said Wednesday Israeli officials beat him on the chest and ribs, put him in uncomfortable positions for long periods and slashed his hand when he tried to help a fellow detainee.
“We felt that we were let down by Canada before anybody else, to be honest, because the Canadian government knew all that was happening,” Lotayef told a news conference on Parliament Hill.
“When we needed them was when we were being tortured — and the whole world knew that that was happening.”
Activist flotillas have tried repeatedly to reach the Gaza Strip to draw attention to tight restrictions on humanitarian supplies for Palestinians. Israel has intercepted these boats, often in international waters.
Lotayef was one of 12 Canadians among 420 flotilla activists detained by Israeli authorities last month. Their detention gained international notoriety when Israel’s Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself taunting the detained activists.
