Calgary Indigenous community rallies as calls continue for special prosecutor to investigate residential school abuse
Hundreds of Canadians marched on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and across the country Saturday in an effort to put pressure on the federal government to investigate abuse against Indigenous peoples at residential schools.
The march for ‘truth and justice’ was organized by a pair of NDP MPs – Mumilaaq Qaqaaw, who represents the riding of Nunavut and Charlie Angus, who represents Timmins-James Bay.
A rally at Calgary’s city hall saw a small group of people turn out to show their support and solidarity, including Indigenous advocate Nicole Johnston from the Piikani Nation.
“We cannot trust the federal government, because of the evidence that they are sitting on and hiding behind, most notably the policy of the genocide against Indigenous people,” Johnston said.
“I’m done hearing apologies. I want action and I want justice.”
Other supporters like Melanie Fiddler from the Cote First Nation also stood up for change at the Calgary rally.
Fiddler told CTV News the story of her great-grandmother, who went to jail because she didn’t want to send her children to a residential school. She says for decades, her family has lived on the foundation where Indigenous people suffer immense intergenerational trauma.
“They weren't allowed to comfort each other, or support each other, they were totally divided, so they were complete strangers and so for our generation, it was the same way,” Fiddler said.
“There’s always been a government policy to kill off the Indian in this country. We’re human, we want our dignity back, we want our self respect back, we want justice and we deserve it and if people don’t start listening to us, we’re on the brink of not having a planet or a world anymore for your children or our children.”
The frustration and deep sadness from the Indigenous community extends across Canada as thousands share their tragic stories, but the Liberal government insists it doesn’t have the power to initiate a criminal investigation into residential schools.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RESPONDS
In a statement to CTV News, Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti said he has held frank and productive discussions with Indigenous leaders about the next steps the government has to take to provide support.
He most notably said survivors of the residential school system and their families must be included in the conversation following the discovery of graves in Kamloops and Marieval.
"Our government is committed to working with affected Indigenous communities across Canada to protect graves and burial sites using all available measures, including the criminal law,” the statement read.
"We are listening and will ensure that all responsive measures are Indigenous-led, survivor-centric and culturally sensitive. While I do not have the authority to initiate criminal investigations, as this is an exclusive power of the police, we will consider all options that will allow the survivors, their communities and the country to move forward on the path to healing and reconciliation."
A 'SLAP IN THE FACE'
The above statement was read aloud at Calgary’s ‘truth and justice’ rally on Saturday and it instantly sparked outrage and deep sadness amongst attendees.
Johnston began to cry and couldn’t immediately find the words to express her emotions.
“I’m speechless, I just want to scream and yell because the attorney general’s statement is such a slap in the face,” she said as tears streamed down her face.
“We're not going to stop, so the government can go back and forth all them want amongst themselves, but there's going to be justice and they need to be held accountable especially for the kids and all the innocent children that were taken from their parents.”
At the time of writing this article, nearly 70,000 Canadians have now signed a petition to put an end to the legal battle between the federal government survivors of the St. Anne’s residential school.
Another petition started by Angus and Qaqqaq has also garnered more than 20,000 signatures, outlining the demands to hire a fully funded special prosecutor to investigate abuse and violence in Canada’s residential school system.
The petition calls on an independent prosecutor to additionally seek advice from the International Criminal Court, and subpoena documents from Ottawa and church institutions so that may be made available to the public.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.