Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on the Catholic Church to “step up” and take responsibility for its role in Canada’s residential school system.

Trudeau says as a Catholic he is deeply disappointed by the position that the church has taken now and over the past couple years.

His statements come after Tk’emlups te Secwepemc announced last Thursday that ground-penetrating radar had located what are believed to be the unmarked graves of 215 children at a former residential school in Kamloops.

Trudeau notes that he personally asked the Pope in 2017 to consider an apology for the institution’s part in the government-sponsored, church-run schools for Indigenous children that operated for more than 120 years. That request was denied.

“The Holy Father is aware of the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which he takes seriously,” Bishop Lionel Gendron, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote in an open letter to the Indigenous People of Canada in March 2018.

“As far as Call to Action #58 is concerned, after carefully considering the request and extensive dialogue with the Bishops of Canada, he felt that he could not personally respond.”

There was no explanation for the Pope’s decision in that letter which noted that the Church in Canada will instead dedicate itself to “reconciliation at the local level.”

The Kamloops Indian Residential School was in operation from 1890 until 1978. For most of that time it was operated by the Catholic Church, with the Federal Government taking over operations in 1969.

“It took [the church] many many years to deal with so many issues that are outstanding, not only with First Nations but also internal to the Catholic Church, and I feel that the Catholic Church has to step up and the church has to say something,” Former Tk‘emlúps Chief Manny Jules told NL News.

“Their silence in my view speaks volumes.”

Prior to 1945, the Kamloops Indian Residential School was within the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Two days ago, the Archbishop of Vancouver apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system in Canada.

In a 14-part statement on twitter, Archbishop J. Michael Miller says “the Church was unquestionably wrong in implementing a government colonialist policy which resulted in devastation for children, families and communities.”

“In light of the heartbreaking disclosure of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, I am writing to express my deep apology and profound condolences to the families and communities that have been devastated by this horrific news,” Miller wrote.

The discovery in Kamloops has sparked national outrage and grief, and has led to mounting calls for the federal government and church to investigate more potential school burial sites.

“Since the revelation of what has happened at Kamloops has come to light, I have been inundated with calls from survivors. Hundreds of calls, often just to cry,” Retired senator [and former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission] Murray Sinclair said in a statement on Tuesday.

“I can hear not only the pain and the anguish, but also the anger that no one believed the stories they had told. I can also hear their sense that they have lost some hope that maybe those children that hadn’t returned might still be found. They now know that may not happen.”

Sinclair told a House of Commons committee yesterday that the examination of all burial sites near former residential schools should not be run by the Federal Government, but should be overseen by a parliamentary committee that will ensure it is done properly.

Tk‘emlúps te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir too says she “absolutely” believes there will be more children found in Kamloops, as crews have not searched all of the residential school grounds.

Yesterday, Tk’emlúps Rural RCMP confirmed to NL News it is investigating the site where the unmarked graves were found.

Detachment Commander, Staff Sgt. Bill Wallace says Mounties will continue to support Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc noting the band will be consulted before any further action is taken.

“The Tk’emlúps Rural RCMP has attended the site, participated in meetings, and will continue working closely with the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc community leaders in determining the next steps and the best way to be involved in any investigative avenues explored going forward, while at the same time being supportive, respectful, and culturally sensitive to the indigenous communities that are impacted,” he said, in a statement.

NDP calling on government to drop legal battle against First Nations children, survivors

Moving forward, Trudeau says it’s going to be important for Catholics across the country to reach out to bishops and cardinals on this issue.

However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on the government to drop a pair of Federal Court appeals he says represent a “belligerent” approach to justice for First Nations children. He says symbolic gestures are not sufficient and the moment demands action, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of hypocrisy in sympathizing with Indigenous communities while battling them in the courts.

“People are in horror,” Singh said at a virtual news conference. “It is not good enough to fly the flags at half mast. It is not good enough for the federal government to just express words of condolences, particularly when they are still fighting Indigenous kids in court.”

The Liberal government is appealing a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling ordering Ottawa to pay $40,000 each to some 50,000 First Nations children separated from their families by a chronically underfunded child-welfare system.

It is also fighting a tribunal decision that widened the applicability of Jordan’s Principle – a rule stating that when governments disagree about who’s responsible for providing services to First Nations children, they must help a child in need first and argue over the bills later.

A National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support to former residential school students and people affected. It is available 24-hours-a day at 1-866-925-4419.

Within B.C., the KUU-US Crisis Line Society also offers 24/7 support toll-free at 1-800-588-8717. Alternatively, a youth line can be reached at 250-723-2040 and an adult line is available at 250-723-4050.

– With files from The Canadian Press