Outgoing AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde on reconciliation, and why he's still optimistic
Canadians embracing need for transformative change. 'But we can only do that together,' says Bellegarde
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
As his time in office comes to a close, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde says we need to seize this moment of understanding about the country's history with Indigenous people "to chart a better Canada and a better future together."
"The dialogue between Canadians … is really starting to come to a groundswell of support and understanding," Bellegarde told The Current's guest host, Mark Kelley.
"And I think that's positive, because we can't do this alone as First Nations people; we're all in this together as human beings."
Bellegarde, 58, was elected in 2014 to lead the Assembly of First Nations. The political organization represents more than 600 First Nations, and advocates for them on issues of treaties and Indigenous rights. He announced in December that he would not be seeking re-election.
Before that, Bellegarde served as the AFN's regional chief for Saskatchewan and chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. He has also served as chief of Little Black First Nation in Saskatchewan, where he is from.
He spoke with Kelley ahead of Wednesday's election for a new national chief. Here is part of their conversation.
It's been a grim couple of weeks with the discovery of the unmarked graves and burial sites. You've called this a wake-up for Canadians. Over the weekend, I was reading a report on the missing children in unmarked burials that was part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and that was back to 2015 when they were outlining the fact that there were these unmarked burial sites that would be found throughout Canada.
Why has it taken so long for Canadians to wake up to this reality?
The discovery or the verification of the 215 children at Kamloops … validated what the survivors have been saying for years, that there was death and [there are] unmarked graves at all the residential school sites — from Kamloops to the 751 at Cowessess, to the 182 at Cranbrook. We as people, as Canadians, as First Nations people, have to get ready, because at every site there will be discoveries made.
It took a long time, but I think the discourse and the dialogue is happening. But the catalyst is here now, and it started with those 215 young spirits, those young souls waking up everybody and saying, "Hey, we're here. We were people and we're not forgotten. We should not be forgotten."
We'll get to reconciliation in a moment. The first part is truth. Do you think that this is the hard truth that non-Indigenous Canadians … needed to learn for themselves?
Oh, no question.
I've said before that the residential school system was a genocide of our people, and we still feel the intergenerational trauma and effects of the residential schools. And it's something that Canadians need to get their [heads] around.
We can't just say, "Oh, get over it. It was in the past. Just get over it." It was a genocide. You can't get over that…. We just need to learn. And that's the truth that this happened in Canada.
WATCH | Chief Perry Bellegarde speaks with the CBC's Rosemary Barton
We've come through this Canada Day weekend, and I know it was a difficult one for many. For some people, they didn't want to acknowledge this, that there was Canada Day. For others, they were lighting off fireworks. Do you feel that the conversation is changing with Canadians right now about the reality of our past?
Yeah, I do think it's changing, Mark.
[There were] a lot of people, Canadians that marched with us as well on Canada Day, that wore orange shirts — orange shirts to mark … Sept. 30 with [the story of Phyllis] Webstadt.
We got in place Bill C-5, the National Day of Reconciliation is Sept. 30.
We need to implement all the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. That was a road map to reconciliation in Canada. It was like a map to the mountaintop, but we all have to do the climbing.
And so that's what I see. And I'm really thankful that that dialogue and discourse is happening, because that's how you create understanding.
As you mentioned, there's still unfinished business. And I know you're going to be going to the Vatican in December, and you're going to be having a meeting with Pope Francis. You're looking for an official apology [for residential schools]. Why is this so important?
It's Call to Action No. 58 that we're implementing … for Pope Francis to make the [residential schools] apology here in Canada. And so we're laying the groundwork for that to happen.
And what difference does that make?
It will make a huge difference for healing and closure.
The Anglican Church, United Church, Presbyterian Church have all apologized. But to date, the Roman Catholic Church has not yet, and they're complicit, along with the state, in the implementation of this policy of residential schools, which is genocide.
And it really is, again, part of healing and reconciliation, part of, like you say, the truth-telling before you get to reconciliation. So it's very important for that healing journey to really take place and some closure for some survivors and their family members.
We are still in this painful and difficult time, and yet you seem optimistic about the future ahead. Why is that?
You always have to be optimistic and provide more hope and inspiration in any room than when you walked into it. Always try to leave any job that you're working at in a better spot and a better place than when you were then when you walked into it. And that's always been my thought, my outlook on life, personally and professionally, for the last 35 years in First Nations politics.
You have to provide more hope, because sometimes that might be all that … people have left. And I think it's moving the right way.
We still have a lot of work to do, no question, in terms of implementation of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls National Action Plan, we still have 50 boil-water advisories we need to clean up. We've got to deal with transforming the justice system.
But again, I think Canadians are embracing the fact that we need to have transformative change. But we can only do that together.
Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools, and those who are triggered by these reports.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
Written by Kirsten Fenn. Produced by Ben Jamieson.
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