By Malin Jordan
BC Catholic

PHIL FONTAINE, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says it's time for natives to put the past behind them.

Speaking at a Vancouver press conference to support a fund-raising campaign called Moving Forward Together, Fontaine said "we have now moved into the post-apology era" and now it's time for healing and reconciliation.

"After all these apologies, we forgive," Fontaine said. "With forgiveness we can have reconciliation. It's not going to be an easy journey, but I'm absolutely certain that we're going to reach that place where we need to be."

Fontaine said natives will never forget the past, but now is time to move on to the healing phase of relations.

Part of that healing is being fostered by Moving Forward Together, a joint initiative of aboriginal groups and more than 50 Catholic organizations in an attempt to raise $25 million to support healing and youth education programs. Fontaine and Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg are co-chairmen.

Fontaine said the first thing to do, now that the fund-raising campaign has been launched, is to reach out to Canadians, making sure they know about the campaign.

"If they're not aware of our joint efforts based on partnership, we will not succeed," he said. "We have to figure out how to market this so Canadians are aware and they will feel compelled to support this really important undertaking."

Local, provincial, and federal projects are already underway, said Weisgerber. Although many projects have already begun, some of the best programs don't have funding. "This is a financial campaign to raise money to support projects that are really important and often vulnerable," he said.

Fontaine said he believes education is the key to solving many problems for native people. He said monies raised would have to be managed and allocated with extreme care.

"We're dealing with a large community spread out across the country," he said. "I believe that this fund should be used as a starter fund. We want to see projects using many sources of funding so that this particular fund is not seen as the sole source."

Fontaine noted the Catholic Church and native people have shared a long past. From missions and charity work long before the residential schools, through the era of church-run, government-funded schools, to the attempts at reconciliation, and toward the future with initiatives like Moving Forward Together, the two sides have had a "logical, historical relationship."

Of approximately 130 residential schools, 75 percent were run by various Catholic entities. Fontaine said the relationship never disappeared, and it's important to revitalize this historic partnership and build on it.

"Using that as one of the building blocks for the work we have to do in the future, including rebuilding the relationships, is important. I don't see any insurmountable problems ahead of us in that regard," he said.

Weisgerber also noted the historic relationship between the two sides.

"Many natives have a love and hate relationship with the Church," he said. Often aboriginal people will express their discontent and hurt for something in the past, and the logical conclusion would be that they have turned their backs on the Church -- but that isn't the case, he added. What invariably happens is that they extend a hand back.

Continue article >>

"They say, 'I'm now putting my hand out to you, because I want to be part of your community,'" he said.

"I felt very pleased with the meeting today," said Rennie Nahanee, co-ordinator of First Nations ministry for the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He said Fontaine's message healing and reconciliation may even be helpful in bringing people back to church. "Some change has to come to improve the lives for the survivors and the children of survivors of residential schools."

The biggest problem with reconciliation and healing is separation between natives and non-natives, said Weisgerber.

"One of the huge problems in western Canada, I believe, is racism," he said, with non-natives believing they are without fault and blaming natives for the poverty and violence in native society.

The Church can help by healing the racism in its midst, said Weisgerber.

"We have people (in the Church) from the prairies (that) are tinged with racism. We need to be aware of that and deal with that," he said.

Despite the past, Fontaine said he is optimistic about the future. He firmly believes the "circle is closed," but he knows much lies ahead.

"There are so many good reasons why I believe this will work," said Fontaine. He cited a very strong mutual commitment to partnership, the desire on both sides to rebuild their relationship, and the significant statement from Pope Benedict XVI.

"The hard work by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to make (the apology) happen, and the very strong devotion on the part of many First Nations communities, (are) all things we can build on."

-- Courtesy of the BC Catholic. Please do not reprint without permission.

Related stories:

Pope sorry for abuse at native Canadian schools
Pope Benedict XVI apologized Wednesday to native Canadians who were physically and sexually abused at church-run boarding schools they were forced to attend, saying he was sorry for their anguish and was praying they would heal.
Associated Press, April 29

Pope expresses sorrow for residential-school abuse
The Pope expressed sorrow on behalf of the Catholic Church for the "deplorable conduct" of some of its members at Canada's Indian residential schools during a private, half-hour meeting at the Vatican with Canadian bishops and native leaders. The Canadian representatives described the expression of sorrow as an apology, even though that exact word does not appear in the Vatican's public statement.
Globe and Mail, April 29

Pope's statement of remorse pleases native leader
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said it was a "significant gesture" Wednesday that Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the suffering of thousands of aboriginal Canadians in residential schools run by the Roman Catholic Church.
CanWest News Service, April 30

Native judge to be new chair of residential schools commission
Mr. Justice Murray Sinclair is a respected aboriginal judge from Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench
Globe and Mail, June 3

Residential school Truth commission set to go as compensation delayed
The Harper government is set to relaunch the truth forum into abuse at native residential schools amid complaints that some of the most traumatized students have waited months for compensation. Sources confirmed Wednesday that Manitoba judge Murray Sinclair, long rumoured to be a top candidate, will head the reconstituted Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Canadian Press, June 3

June 25/2009