‘I didn’t get a response’: Residential school survivor gets apology from Catholic Church years later
It was a historic and emotional day for survivors of the residential school system in Canada.
Many have been waiting for an apology for years as they heal from the trauma and intergenerational effects of the horrific institution.
One survivor from Ottawa lived through one of the worst residential schools in all of Canada.
“The treatment of myself and other classmates was just horrific. There was no need for it,” said Evelyn Korkmaz, who is a survivor of St. Anne’s Residential School in Fort Albany.
Korkmaz was taken to St. Anne’s at 10 years old and stayed for four years.
In 2019, the Ottawa resident travelled to Rome, Italy to demand an apology from the Pope for the Catholic Church’s involvement in Canada’s dark history.
“I didn’t get a response,” she said. “I also asked him in the same press conference to release our school documents. These documents would also reveal the how, the why and the where our children are buried in these school grounds across Canada.”
That apology came on Friday, three years later.
“It’s a mention of wrong doing on the church’s part,” said Korkmaz. “I’m looking forward to him coming to Canada on July 26 this year to apologize on Indigenous land.”
“That apology, come here and say it. Come here and stand before the people that suffered,” said Mike Metatawabin, who is also a survivor of St. Anne’s residential school.
Ottawa’s Aboriginal Coalition is also calling for the Catholic Church to release the school documents.
“We all know actions speak louder than words. We are still waiting for the church to act in good faith in fulfilling its obligations under the 2006 Indian residential school settlement agreement,” said Stephanie Mikki Adams, of the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition.
Korkmaz says survivors are still wanting compensation for the loss of language, culture, and spiritual belief, which was stripped of them at the schools.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.