Not interested in apologies, First Nation demands widespread institutional change from Justin Trudeau

OTTAWA – Members of the Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc First Nation agreed to meet with Justin Trudeau this month, a day after the prime minister acknowledged that it was a “mistake” to vacation in Tofino, BC on the first National Truth and Reconciliation Day from Canada.

“We are not interested in apologies that do not lead to widespread institutional change,” the First Nation said in a written statement Thursday, which outlined the commitments it wants Trudeau to be prepared to discuss at its meeting.

In late May, the First Nation was grappling with the discovery of more than 200 unidentified graves on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC. Subsequently, the Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc sent two invitations to the Prime Minister’s Office requesting the presence of Trudeau at an event in honor of the national holiday.

Those invitations were not recognized and Trudeau, instead, began a vacation with his family that day.

The prime minister publicly apologized for the snub on Wednesday, after privately apologizing to Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir on October 2.

On Thursday, the First Nation reiterated its disappointment at Ottawa’s lack of response to its invitations, saying the PMO also did not accept an offer to provide “a filmed speech that could have been broadcast” that day.

“It was an unfortunate decision and a missed opportunity for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to show Canadians his commitment to the survivors of Indian residential schools and Le Estcwéý (the missing),” the statement said.

When asked by Star, the PMO did not say whether it had received such an offer.

The First Nation called the lack of response “an additional insult,” given that Trudeau “never extended a personal hand of sympathy to our community” when the discovery of the anonymous graves was first announced on May 27.

The first Minister tweeted On June 1 he had spoken to Casimir about the devastating find.

Ahead of this month’s visit, the Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc have asked Trudeau to “come prepared” to discuss funding opportunities for two projects that would promote reconciliation for survivors of residential schools.

The First Nation wants funding for an indigenous healing center to support those who attended residential schools and intergenerational survivors. It also repeated a request for “full and complete disclosure” of all government records related to residential schools, with a specific emphasis on attendance records for Kamloops Indian Residential School students.

On Wednesday, the prime minister addressed his speech at a ceremony held by elders and survivors on Parliament Hill on September 29, the night before National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

In French, he spoke about how he discussed the need to properly understand the legacy of residential schools while building towards a better future.

A spokesman for the Department of Canadian Heritage said the ceremony was held the night before the national holiday to make the day itself “indigenous-led and survivor-centered.”

While Trudeau traveled to Tofino, BC for a vacation the next day, a trip that fell off his daily schedule at the time, his office said he also spoke with eight residential school survivors about their experiences.

A specific date for the prime minister’s visit with the Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc has yet to be announced, and the statement only notes that a date had been chosen based on options provided by Trudeau’s office.