The death of Pope Francis marked a moment of reflection not only for Catholics worldwide, but also for Indigenous Peoples across Canada, particularly the Survivors of residential schools who brought the weight of truth, loss, and hope to the Vatican in 2022.
As former President of the Métis National Council, I had the honour of leading a national delegation of Métis residential school Survivors to meet Pope Francis. We carried with us not only the truths of our own experiences but also the voices of our ancestors, our families, and our communities. We went with one mission: to urge the Catholic Church, a key architect of the residential school system, to take responsibility and to act.
Pope Francis met us with humility. On April 1, 2022, in an historic apology. He then issued a call for concrete action to contribute to truth, healing, and reconciliation.
That moment mattered deeply. His words were a validation of what Métis, First Nations, and Inuit Survivors have always known: they deserve more than silence or denial. They deserve justice, healing, and lasting change.
But we are not at the end of this journey. Reconciliation cannot be reduced to a moment or a speech. It is not a gesture; it is a responsibility.
Now, in the wake of the Pope’s passing, Canadians and especially the Catholic Church in Canada face a choice: continue the path of reconciliation or allow it to stall.
I have witnessed the power of truth-telling and relationship-building on the path to reconciliation. Through my leadership in bringing Métis Survivors to the Vatican, and in continuing this work with First Peoples Group, I have seen how relationships can open doors to transformation, not just for institutions, but for individuals.
In a recent interview on The National, I shared this truth: “Relationships is where reconciliation begins.”
It is through honest, respectful, and enduring relationships that we move from apology to action, from trauma to healing, from denial to understanding.
To all Canadians: reconciliation is not the work of governments or churches alone. It belongs to each of us. Ask what role you play in this moment of national reckoning. Learn the stories of Survivors. Seek out the truth. Build relationships with Indigenous Peoples not only in times of crisis but in everyday moments: in classrooms, boardrooms, community halls, and across kitchen tables.
The path forward must be walked with humility, with urgency, and with concrete action.
The Survivors are still here. The children who never came home are still waiting. And reconciliation, true reconciliation, is still possible.
But it begins with relationships.