1. How did the preparations for the Pope’s visit make visible for Emily Riddle who is deemed important and valuable, and who isn’t?

 

Kelsi: I want to start by discussing the intent behind the apology. The Pope's apology to residential school Survivors, their families, and communities is #58 of the TRC Calls to Action. Why do you think Survivors made this a Call to Action? Why is it important? Emily Riddle: I think the reason why apologies are important mostly stems from our cultures. For us, in our Cree culture, apologies and words are really powerful. That comes from the power that stems from our language, too, and how sounds reverberate in the universe, which itself, we believe, is made of sound. Apologies are also really powerful to speak into the universe because they communicate intentions. While I think that there's a lot of criticism of apologies being meaningless, there is a cultural importance of apology, as well as active witnessing. With all of this in mind, do you feel like the intent and importance behind the apology was sufficiently expressed by the Pope? I feel like we have to separate the Pope from the structure of the Catholic Church to an extent. I think for the Pope, it was a genuine apology. When he was on the plane back to Italy, reporters asked him why he didn't include the word "genocide" in his apology, and he said, "Oh, certainly it was a genocide." I know this trip was not viewed favourably within the Church. It was something that this specific Pope really pushed for. And while the actual apology itself was powerful, it was limited, too. For one thing, he implies there were a few bad apples in the Catholic Church that made this system bad. He repeats this sentiment in Lac Ste. Anne: Christian charity was not absent, although a few people misbehaved. So I think the Pope did feel his apology, individually, but I don't think that the church understands how they're part of this system of dispossession. This system has resulted in the continued removal of children, poverty, and us being alienated from our territories. And a part of this larger system of colonialism that the Catholic Church obviously still plays a role in is seen with doctrines and Papal bulls. I don't think that the apology addresses that. The Church has committed to a report and an investigation, but I don't see a commitment to try to tear down the system they helped build or to give us some of their money or land they continue to own. I say that because we've already seen the Canadian branch of the Catholic Church failing to pay the $25 million it already owes to residential school Survivors, instead raising less than $4 million dollars. Can't the Vatican implore their Canadian arm to actually pay those funds? It is all in very bad taste. People think that Indigenous people are into settlements or money all the time, too. But for us, money is a part of a protocol. Gifting is very important; it's about the relationship and the cultural protocol of making an offering. Despite the limitations, do you think the Call to Action can be considered complete? The apology required a lot of advocacy by Indigenous folks over a number of years. I really respect the people who worked to bring the Pope here, such as Chief Wilton Littlechild and other community members. A lot of people expressed disagreement with the Pope's visit, but it was an intentional invitation by Indigenous community members and leaders. The fact that the Pope did come and make an apology does deserve some credit, at least for those who fought for it. But I know you mentioned that Yellowhead is not including Call to Action 58 as fully complete.