Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly apologized on Wednesday for travelling to Tofino on Sept. 30, the country鈥檚 first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Trudeau addressed the issue while speaking at a press conference in Ottawa to
鈥淭ravelling on September 30 was a mistake and I regret it,鈥� the prime minister said. 鈥淭he first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was a time for Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people alike to reflect and connect, think about the past but also focus on the future.鈥�
He said he had called Tk鈥檈ml煤ps te Secw茅pemc K煤kpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir on Saturday and 鈥渁pologized for not being there with her and her community for this important day.鈥�
鈥淚t was a mistake to travel on that day,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is an important moment for Canada and for Canadians to reflect not just on the past but on the present. I was in error to choose to travel on that day and I apologized directly to Chief Casimir for not having attended the event that she invited me to, which is why I am looking forward to going to the community and sitting down with them in the coming weeks.鈥�
Trudeau was asked what led to the decision to travel and whether anyone had advised him not to.
鈥淚 think how it happened is far less important than that it happened, which I regret,鈥� he responded. 鈥淲e will continue to do even more on the path of reconciliation, whether it鈥檚 continuing to eliminate long-term boil water advisories, whether it鈥檚 making sure that there鈥檚 better investments in housing and support for kids going to new and better schools across the country in indigenous communities, there鈥檚 much work to do and I am committed to doing it.鈥�
Tofino is in the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and TFN members Timmy Masso and Hjalmer Wenstob led a gathering outside the beachfront property Trudeau was staying at on Chesterman Beach on Saturday evening
鈥淔or me and for so many people across Canada, it鈥檚 our job to keep our prime minister in check and always try to make sure that they鈥檙e addressing their mistakes when they make them,鈥� Masso told the Westerly 亚洲天堂 following the prime minister鈥檚 statements on Wednesday.
鈥淚t is a little bit reassuring to know that he鈥檚 stepping up and owning that mistake鈥n Nuu-chah-nulth culture, when you make a mistake, you make sure you address that publicly and make sure you have everyone to acknowledge that you made that mistake so you can go forward, so I鈥檓 glad that he addressed that publicly.鈥�
He added though that the prime minister鈥檚 apology must be followed up by action.
鈥淚 think that is truly the first step, but there are so many steps to regaining respect and, for me, I鈥檓 still disappointed in him. One thing that we called for was to address that publicly, but there鈥檚 a lot of steps to regain that respect and on that path to reconciliation you have to work together,鈥� he said.
鈥淔or me personally, and this is kind of a sad thing though, I鈥檝e lost a lot of respect for our prime minister through various actions that he鈥檚 done鈥nd then to finally drive that peg into the wall you see him going on a vacation on this first Day for Truth and Reconciliation. For me, when it comes to regaining respect, there鈥檚 so many things that he has to do. He has to own up to previous mistakes that he鈥檚 done and try to move forward with everyone, not just have it as lip service of 鈥業鈥檓 sorry and I鈥檓 going to be different now.鈥� I鈥檝e seen so many politicians say that and then go on and repeat the actions they鈥檝e done in the past.鈥�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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