Local First Nations members and supporters gathered at Chesterman Beach on a stormy Saturday evening to demand a public apology from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for travelling to Tofino on the countryB次元官网网址檚 first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sad that we donB次元官网网址檛 expect much from leadership anymore. ItB次元官网网址檚 sad that we have to stand here in the rain, in the middle of a pandemic following an election just to be heard, but here we are,B次元官网网址� Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Hjalmer Wenstob said in front of the gathering of roughly 20 people outside the beachfront property the prime minister is currently staying in.
and was not seen at , though his office suggested he was spending the day speaking with residential school survivors from across Canada.
Wenstob and his brother Timmy Masso were the lead speakers at SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 gathering and also presented a written statement demanding an apology.
B次元官网网址淲e are disheartened that you did not use this day to further your own personal education, and answer the call and responsibility as Prime Minister to observe, attend, and bear witness to the many events of Truth and Reconciliation,B次元官网网址� the letter reads, in part. B次元官网网址淚t is with heavy hearts to hear that you did not attend the event in Kamloops, where you were invited by the TkB次元官网网址檈ml煤ps te Secwepemc band, and instead took time to holiday in our haB次元官网网址檋outhee.B次元官网网址�
Trudeau did not come outside to address the gathering in person.
B次元官网网址淪adly, Trudeau didnB次元官网网址檛 come out, but we did get a member of his staff to come out and accept our statement on his behalf and weB次元官网网址檙e to expect a response from the Prime MinisterB次元官网网址檚 office within a few days,B次元官网网址� Wenstob said.
Masso told the Westerly that the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 visit to Tofino was both disheartening and disrespectful.
B次元官网网址淲e use reconciliation as a word right now, but recently it seems like a hollow word. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem like thereB次元官网网址檚 really that much action thatB次元官网网址檚 going into it and itB次元官网网址檚 quite sad to say that because I donB次元官网网址檛 want to be looking at the dark, but when we talk about reconciliation and then our prime minister goes and vacations, itB次元官网网址檚 kind of a double standardB次元官网网址f one sitting prime minister were to take a vacation on Remembrance Day, the whole country would be in an uproar,B次元官网网址� Masso said.
B次元官网网址淚 think a lot of people are angry. I think thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of people within the Nation and other Nations that were quite angry that our prime minister didnB次元官网网址檛 go and attend these events and didnB次元官网网址檛 spend that time to educate himself. But, in what weB次元官网网址檙e doing today, we have to put aside our anger, we have to put aside our frustrationsB次元官网网址e have to follow the teachings of iisaak, which is respect. In going forward to make change, we have to put aside our anger and our frustration.B次元官网网址�
He said he hopes Trudeau will publicly acknowledge that spending the countryB次元官网网址檚 first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Tofino was a mistake.
B次元官网网址淚n Nuu-chah-nulth culture and Nuu-chah-nulth protocols, whenever you make a mistake, you acknowledge that. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what we were hoping for here today, that he would stand up and acknowledge what he did and acknowledge that he did not stand with our people on this Day of Truth and Reconciliation,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢oving forward, I really hope that our prime minister will put a statement out and not just a statement, but actually have his voice heard by all of Canada, saying that he did make a mistake and heB次元官网网址檚 going to correct it now.B次元官网网址�
Wenstob added that reconciliation cannot happen without respect.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of work to start building relations and the work thatB次元官网网址檚 been done by so many people before us to even get to a point where we have a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, is the start of work, but the start is to be respectful. ThatB次元官网网址檚 where it has to start. We canB次元官网网址檛 do work of truth or reconciliation without respect, and we canB次元官网网址檛 build relationships without respect. ItB次元官网网址檚 the first thing you need to have and itB次元官网网址檚 sad that itB次元官网网址檚 clearly evident that itB次元官网网址檚 not here,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sad that we have to come and gather and do this just to be heard and at the same time not be heard. WeB次元官网网址檝e seen so many people who have put their hearts and souls into this day and so many people who have stepped up to answer the call and here we are and the leader of the country refuses to do that and decides to take a vacation. The word respect canB次元官网网址檛 even be in that conversation yet.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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