Trudeau to seek fresh apology from Pope over Inuit abuse

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will try to persuade Pope Francis to apologise for the part played by the Church in the abuse of aboriginal children at residential schools.

Trudeau has committed himself to “engaging” with the Pope over the issue, which is one of 94 Calls to Action contained in the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published in June 2015.

The commission wants the Pope to apologise to “survivors, their families, and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic-run residential schools.” The commission adds that it wants the Pope to deliver the apology in Canada within a year of issuing its report.

Most of the church bodies responsible for the operation of residential schools have already apologised and are parties to a negotiated settlement. In 2009 Pope Benedict “expressed his sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the Church and he offered his sympathy and prayerful solidarity”.

Last year, the then Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a meeting with Pope Francis brought the demand to the Pope’s attention and was criticised for not doing so forcefully enough. Mr Trudeau says he “looks forward to having a conversation with his Holiness about this. I am certainly intending to work with the Catholic Church, including the Holy See, to move forward on implementing that recommendation, to ask him directly to engage with this issue.” When asked at a press conference to clarify that intention the Prime Minister said he couldn’t order the Pope to apologise. “That means I am not going to pretend that it is my job to order other governments or other organisations to do anything,” he said.