for a little over a week Pope Land to meet survivors of residential school in Canada, the Government of Canada has announced funding for survivors wishing to attend.
Pope Francis will arrive in Alberta on July 24 and will meet with the survivors by July 29.
Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada are providing $30.2 million to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations.
This includes organizations that serve Indigenous women and LGBTQ2 people and youth.
Arrangements are being made for residential school survivors to attend Pope’s first stop in Edmonton
The money will go toward community-led activities related to the Pope’s visit, including healing activities, events, ceremonies and visits to survivors.
The federal government said communities and organizations would be contacted directly.
Mental health workers and cultural support providers will also be at specific papal events.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) recently spoke about the lack of consultation and coordination.
“(It) plans such a trip. Some may need assistance, etc. I know FSIN was scrambling for hotel rooms in Edmonton and surrounding areas,” FSIN vice-chief Heather Beer told Global News.
Bear notes that it’s also an expensive time to travel, so he’s happy that the federal government has committed to helping out financially.
However, he said, counseling is still an issue and added that the journey will be painful again for the survivors.
“For many people, this will be the first step in the healing journey. We could have done better with counseling from all around. Canada can do better,” Bear said.
Bear reiterated that he had hoped that the Pope would have scheduled a visit to Saskatchewan with about 100,000 survivors within the area.
Bear suggests that those wishing to join the yatra should contact their tribal council or nation.
Other organizations at the local level are coming forward to help.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon The Pope is committed to sponsoring survivors and veterans willing to participate in itineraries in Edmonton on July 25 and 26.
Bus tours are organized in Saskatoon through Our Lady Guadalupe Parish – an indigenous, First Nations Métis Parish in the diocese.
A spokesman for the Saskatoon diocese said the sponsorship would cover travel expenses, including accommodation and transportation.
The number of people to attend, the exact budget and other itineraries are still being planned with those willing to attend.
Survivors and the elderly looking for more information on registering for the bus are asked to contact Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at 306-653-4945 as soon as possible.
A local event will also be free to attend to coincide with the Pope’s visit to St. Mary’s School in Saskatoon.
Diocese of Prince Albert On July 25, the Maskwasis is organizing a motor coach to bring survivors of the diocese to an event in the First Nation.
The Most Reverend Stephen Hero, Bishop of Prince Albert, said: “We expect the Pope (residential school) to apologize to the survivors of Treaty Six Land.”
Archdiocese of Regina has extended registration for its trip to Edmonton until July 17th.
Bus, hotel and food will all be covered. So far around 100 people have registered.
A spokesperson said the wider community can also help sponsor the bus tour.
More information is available at the Archdiocese of Regina website.
However, one survivor says he will not attend any papal visits.
Barry Kennedy attended Maryvale Residential School and Cu’Appel Residential School.
For Kennedy, nothing would be better than a Pope’s apology.
“Canadian and Indigenous communities are still going to suffer from diseases that were born out of attending school, the abuses that survived school and the intergenerational trauma created over the past hundred years that we still see today,” Kennedy Told.
Kennedy says he does not intend to watch any livestreams of the event, and plans to stay out of it entirely.
“Life goes on, and the day after he leaves Canada, life is still going to go on. We are going to have some similar problems – there are some of us left and I have,” Kennedy said.
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