Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly apologized on Wednesday for travelling to Tofino on Sept. 30, the countrysa国际传媒檚 first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Trudeau addressed the issue while speaking at a press conference in Ottawa to
sa国际传媒淭ravelling on September 30 was a mistake and I regret it,sa国际传媒� the prime minister said. sa国际传媒淭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.sa国际传媒�
He said he had called Tksa国际传媒檈ml煤ps te Secw茅pemc K煤kpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir on Saturday and sa国际传媒渁pologized for not being there with her and her community for this important day.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚t was a mistake to travel on that day,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭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.sa国际传媒�
Trudeau was asked what led to the decision to travel and whether anyone had advised him not to.
sa国际传媒淚 think how it happened is far less important than that it happened, which I regret,sa国际传媒� he responded. sa国际传媒淲e will continue to do even more on the path of reconciliation, whether itsa国际传媒檚 continuing to eliminate long-term boil water advisories, whether itsa国际传媒檚 making sure that theresa国际传媒檚 better investments in housing and support for kids going to new and better schools across the country in indigenous communities, theresa国际传媒檚 much work to do and I am committed to doing it.sa国际传媒�
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
sa国际传媒淔or me and for so many people across Canada, itsa国际传媒檚 our job to keep our prime minister in check and always try to make sure that theysa国际传媒檙e addressing their mistakes when they make them,sa国际传媒� Masso told the Westerly News following the prime ministersa国际传媒檚 statements on Wednesday.
sa国际传媒淚t is a little bit reassuring to know that hesa国际传媒檚 stepping up and owning that mistakesa国际传媒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 Isa国际传媒檓 glad that he addressed that publicly.sa国际传媒�
He added though that the prime ministersa国际传媒檚 apology must be followed up by action.
sa国际传媒淚 think that is truly the first step, but there are so many steps to regaining respect and, for me, Isa国际传媒檓 still disappointed in him. One thing that we called for was to address that publicly, but theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of steps to regain that respect and on that path to reconciliation you have to work together,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淔or me personally, and this is kind of a sad thing though, Isa国际传媒檝e lost a lot of respect for our prime minister through various actions that hesa国际传媒檚 donesa国际传媒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, theresa国际传媒檚 so many things that he has to do. He has to own up to previous mistakes that hesa国际传媒檚 done and try to move forward with everyone, not just have it as lip service of sa国际传媒業sa国际传媒檓 sorry and Isa国际传媒檓 going to be different now.sa国际传媒� Isa国际传媒檝e seen so many politicians say that and then go on and repeat the actions theysa国际传媒檝e done in the past.sa国际传媒�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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