Catholic Leaders Worried About Truth Commission

Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 15:20

 

 

Keewatin-Le Pas Archbishop Sylvain Lavoie says a discussion about the residential schools with the national chief was helpful and beneficial.

 

Assembly of First Nations leader Phil Fontaine met with Catholic bishops for the first time this week in Ottawa.

 

Lavoie, who oversees parishes in northern Saskatchewan, says much of the bishops’ concerns at the meeting centred on the upcoming work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

 

He says if the commission is to hear the “whole truth”, it must be balanced and inclusive — meaning “everybody’s story needs to be heard”.

 

Lavoie says the bishops are worried the process will be “negative” and “one-sided”, and that anyone involved in the residential schools will be lumped in with the people who clearly did wrong.

 

He says people who “gave their lives” to the schools are really hurt when they’re painted by the same brush — treatment he calls “unfair” and “unjust”.

 

Lavoie also hopes the Truth and Reconciliation Commission opens the door for former students who felt they had a good experience, but haven’t said so for fear of being politically incorrect.

 

He says Fontaine shares many of the bishops’ concerns, and that he assured them that this would be well-structured process.

 

Lavoie admits Catholic entities and the AFN still have lots to discuss about this process.