WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.
Indigenous women carrying swing boards they intended to present to Pope Francis during a private meeting with residential school survivors were asked to leave the room before the pope entered.
The event was planned as a moment for survivors from eastern Canada to meet the pope in person at the archbishop’s residence Friday morning in Quebec City, a few hours before the pope’s departure for Iqaluit.
Jonel Beauvais, a member of the Kanien’kehá:ka Wolf Clan of Akwesasne, said that while she could have stayed, she had to go to the back.
“They said they only wanted survivors, not their supporters. So I’m not quite sure why you would invite supporters if they’re not allowed to be in the room with the survivors,” she said.
Two other women, holding cradleboards traditionally used to transport and protect babies, left the room.
“I brought it today to represent every baby still in the ground, every baby that came out, every baby that didn’t get to feel the love and affection that they should have received,” Beauve said.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has found that there may be thousands of unmarked graves near the sites of former dormitories. More than 1,000 suspected unmarked graves have been discovered in the past year.
Pope Francis meets with residential school survivors at the Archbishop of Quebec’s residence in Quebec City. (Vatican Media/Reuters)
Grand Chief Mandi Gul-Masti of the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee said the women were already seated when they were asked to leave.
“The staff of a bishop [Gérald Cyprien] Lacroix asked them to leave, so it was quite disappointing,” Gull-Masti said, referring to the archbishop of Quebec.
Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Ghislaine Picard said the way the situation was handled was “totally unacceptable and disrespectful.”
He said there were too many members of the clergy when the moment was meant for the survivors and those accompanying them.
Lack of space
In an email response, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Diocese of Quebec said some people had been asked to leave because there were not enough places to accommodate them.
The statement said the delegation that showed up was much larger than what they had originally planned.
“Additional seating was immediately offered to members of the delegation, but in an effort to prioritize seating for survivors, some guests were unable to attend the room,” the statement said.
Those people were asked to wait in another room, the email said.
“As an organization, we just wanted to make sure we could accommodate everyone who wanted to attend,” Jasmine Lemieux-Lefebvre, spokeswoman for the papal visit’s organizing committee, told CBC Quebec’s Breakaway.
He said that looking at the week as a whole, that was largely achieved.
“We’ve always tried to strike the right balance and show that survivors are a priority,” he said.
Cradleboards presented in the Vatican
Another woman who came with a swing board, Michelle Shenandoah, is a member of the Haudenosaunee delegation that met with the Pope at the Vatican earlier this year.
She gave the same swing board to the Pope at the Vatican and it was later returned to her.
She says she and Rosalie LaBillois, co-chair of the AFN National Youth Council, were asked to leave the meeting without any explanation.
“They were pretty strong,” she said. The women agreed to leave the room so that the elders would have seats.
A moment of exchange
After the Pope gave a short speech, the survivors had the opportunity to speak with him.
“I was thankful for the process, for our grandparents, aunts and uncles, because they need what they need, and we always have to support him in his recovery,” Bove said.
Beauvais said she told the pope she appreciated his visit, but also expressed her displeasure at the way indigenous people were treated during his trip.
Pickard said many local people who attended the meeting wanted more from her. Still, he said he was glad the survivors had a chance to meet the pope.
With the pope returning to the Vatican tonight, it is now up to Canadian clergy to follow his instructions and take concrete steps toward reconciliation, Picard said.
Support is available for anyone affected by their dorm experience or the latest reports.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been established to provide support to residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
Support is also available for anyone affected by their experience in Indian or federal day schools. Individuals can access immediate mental health counseling and crisis intervention services at the Hope for Wellness Helpline by calling 1-855-242-3310 or online at www.hopeforwellness.ca.
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