News Article Assignment –
Indigenous peoples 'never gave up' on apology, Governor General says
(https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2056086595530)
Who:
Governor General of Canada: Mary Simon, alongside Pope Francis, who is the
leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
What:
The Pope made his way to Canada and calls his journey “the pilgrimage of
penance”. This visit highlighted a signal to the world that the roman catholic
church is joining Canada in the path of reconciliation, healing hope and renewal.
It is an acknowledgement of the injustice that the Indigenous people’s
communities have suffered through decades.
Where:
Quebec City
When:
July 27, 2022
Why:
As a hope to further the healing journey of the survivors of traumatic events,
Indigenous peoples have their hearts open and are willing to listen to the pope. A collective
duty to remember what had happened in the residential schools and be able to tell the stories
of survivors. This visit highlights the strength of reconciliation and emphasize that it is everyone
responsibility to keep in mind and acknowledge the territory they are within as well as
encourage the journey of healing.
Reflection
I chose this massive highlight in our current news because I believe that it takes ONE step to
begin the process of healing. An apology is not a mere action, it signifies a door to forgiveness
as well as serves as an acknowledgment of responsibility. The indigenous peoples have been
striped off their families and identities, their treatment was cruel and inhumane. But yet their
strength remains ever-standing because they took the initiative to listen to the pope
openheartedly. Looking into the lens of the Indigenous peoples, this apology might have been
processed as genuine and useful in helping them heal but looking in another direction, it serves
as a step for the journey of a long process of reconciliation. In my stance, the further delay of
the apology means refusal to acknowledge a shared reality, which would leave the Indigenous
Peoples isolated with feelings of trauma and pain passed down to further generations. I
personally like to be apologized to for small harmful actions, I cannot imagine what it must feel
like to receive an apology that destroyed a whole lineage of communities.
Reference: CBC News, July 27 2022. Indigenous peoples 'never gave up' on apology, Governor
General says.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2056086595530
https://www.npr.org/2022/07/24/1113254716/pope-heads-to-canada-as-indigenous-groupsseek-full-apology