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Anchor: Antonia Gonzales
A former national chief of Canada’s Assembly of First Nations says he believes the pope will apologize for the church’s role in the residential school system. As Dan Karpenchuk reports, Phil Fontaine says the expectation of an apology is very clear and strong.
Phil Fontaine is in Rome as one of the delegates meeting with Pope Francis. Fontaine is also a residential school survivor. The Pope has already met with Inuit and Metis delegates, First Nations representatives will see him on Thursday at the Vatican. Fontaine was the national chief of the AFN from 1997 to 2000. He was also one of the first Indigenous leaders to speak out about the abuses Native children endured at residential schools. Fontaine says the expectation of an apology is high.
“Our hope is that he will come to Canada to apologize. He’s already made a commitment that he will visit Canada. And so, there is an expectation and hope that he will apologize in Canada on First Nations land.”
Fontaine also says one of the central issues to discuss, in addition to the abuse at residential schools, is the land that was taken from Indigenous people. He says the Catholic Church was complicit in that process and Native leaders want to be able to reclaim their lands. Fontaine adds that he’s certain the church will support that and go even further by playing a role in the economic development of Indigenous communities in much the same way that the U.S. did with the Marshall Plan in post Second World War Europe. Fontaine was also part of the AFN delegation that met with Pope Benedict in Rome in 2009.
Photo courtesy @NNPrezNez
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, First Lady Phefelia Nez and the director of the tribe’s Veterans Administration James Zwierlein met with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to advocate for veterans. They’re seeking support for the establishment of a veterans benefits outreach center and a veterans clinic to provide services closer to home for Navajo veterans. According to the tribe, there are more than 10,000 Navajo veterans.
Leaders say the centers would also help with mental health services for those with PTSD and other needs. Prior to the hill visits, the Navajo Nation issued a proclamation in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Nez, standing at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, honored all the tribe’s veterans and then read the proclamation.
“We thank you to all our veterans. We want to say thank you to them for serving and we welcome you home back to our homelands because you sacrificed much, you protected our freedoms, as well as our way of life, our culture, our traditions, and our language. We all know because of each and every one of you, our veterans, we are able to do things here in this country, many in other countries can’t do.”
The proclamation called for flags on the Navajo Nation to be flown at half-staff on Tuesday in honor and remembrance of those who served in the Vietnam War.
A rally was held in Del City, Oklahoma on Tuesday, in support of a Native American boy and his family, after the boy’s hair was cut without permission at Del City Elementary School. The family of the student, who’s a first grader, is not accepting the school district’s response. The student’s grandmother Cheryl Garcia, told Fox 25, the teacher and the district are putting the blame on the first grader. Garcia says that’s wrong. The Mid-Del district is reportedly not publicly commenting on the incident because it involves other students, but shared its findings with the family. Those at the rally want more done by the district, including the teaching of Native American history. The student’s family says the first grader will not be going back to school and will be homeschooled for now.
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