An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend Canadian residential schools between the 1870s and 1997. Calls for an apology from the church have intensified since the discovery last spring of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites. When an Indigenous delegation visited Pope Benedict in 2009, he expressed sorrow and “personal anguish” but never apologized. Email our Indigenous-led team investigating the impacts of residential schools at [email protected] or call toll-free: 1-833-824-0800. A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected.

Source: CBC News December 22, 2021 08:14 UTC