Latest news with #DoctrineofDiscovery
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pope Leo XIV just took office, but Canada has a big request already
As Pope Leo XIV officially begins his papacy on May 18 in Vatican City, Indigenous leaders in Canada are urging the Catholic Church to return sacred items taken from their communities, artifacts they say are long overdue for repatriation. The Catholic Church has played a central role in colonial history. Through the 'Doctrine of Discovery', a controversial legal principle rooted in 15th-century papal bulls, the Church once justified the colonization and forced conversion of Indigenous peoples worldwide, including in Canada. Catholic missionaries collected thousands of items from Indigenous communities under the belief they were "preserving" culture, often without consent. Also Read: Canada is hosting King Charles and Camilla. What this visit tells us about its future These artifacts now sit in the Vatican's Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum. Many hold deep cultural and spiritual meaning to the Métis, First Nations, and Inuit peoples. Pope Leo XIV inaugurated his papacy today during a grand Mass at St. Peter's Square. Among the 200,000 attendees were Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Victoria Pruden, President of the Métis National Council . Live Events Indigenous leaders in Canada see this new beginning as a moment to act. "This is a critical opportunity," said Lyndon Linklater, a knowledge keeper from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in Saskatchewan. "The artifacts hold our ancestors' voices. They should come home." In 2022, Pope Francis, during a visit to Canada, acknowledged the harm caused by residential schools and pledged to return the sacred items. Since then, however, progress has been slow. Also Read: Kristina Michaud tops MP travel spending list, reason Ottawa's location; check the other top spenders in the $32M bill President Pruden, who represented the Métis at the Vatican today, reaffirmed the community's expectations. 'Returning the items is more than symbolic—it is about restoring dignity and healing relationships,' she said. Indigenous communities across Canada now hope Pope Leo XIV will fulfill the Vatican's promises. While today's inauguration marks a historic change in Church leadership, many are watching closely to see if it will also bring long-awaited justice.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
President Pruden to Attend Inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV, Calls for Return of Métis Artifacts from Vatican Museum
OTTAWA, ON, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - President Victoria Pruden of the Métis National Council (MNC) will travel with the Canadian Delegation to Vatican City this Sunday to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. As the Catholic Church enters a new chapter, the MNC is renewing its call for the return of Métis cultural artifacts held in the Vatican's Anima Mundi Museum. These items are not simply historical objects, they are part of the living identity, memory, and spirit of the Métis Nation. "We are asking the Vatican to work with Métis knowledge-keepers, historians, and experts to identify which items in their collection belong to our people and to return them," said President Pruden. "These artifacts were taken during eras of profound injustice. Their return is an essential step in advancing reconciliation and repairing the deep harms caused by colonial policies, including the role the Church played in the residential school system." President Pruden emphasized that the legacy of residential schools continues to affect generations of Métis families. "Many of our Survivors are still waiting for justice. Others have already passed without seeing the Church live up to its responsibilities. Returning these sacred items would be a concrete act of accountability, one that aligns with the Church's rejection of the Doctrine of Discovery and its stated support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The MNC stands ready to engage in this work in partnership with the Catholic Church, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Indigenous leaders across the country. Since 1983, the Métis National Council has been the national and international voice of the Métis Nation within Canada. Through national research and policy development, the MNC advocates to advance the rights and interests of Métis Governments, including the implementation of the Métis Nation's inherent right to self-determination and self-government. The MNC is committed to accountability and transparency within its operations, and to its relationships with its Governing Members and other partners. SOURCE Métis National Council View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
President Pruden to Attend Inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV, Calls for Return of Métis Artifacts from Vatican Museum
OTTAWA, ON, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - President Victoria Pruden of the Métis National Council (MNC) will travel with the Canadian Delegation to Vatican City this Sunday to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. As the Catholic Church enters a new chapter, the MNC is renewing its call for the return of Métis cultural artifacts held in the Vatican's Anima Mundi Museum. These items are not simply historical objects, they are part of the living identity, memory, and spirit of the Métis Nation. "We are asking the Vatican to work with Métis knowledge-keepers, historians, and experts to identify which items in their collection belong to our people and to return them," said President Pruden. "These artifacts were taken during eras of profound injustice. Their return is an essential step in advancing reconciliation and repairing the deep harms caused by colonial policies, including the role the Church played in the residential school system." President Pruden emphasized that the legacy of residential schools continues to affect generations of Métis families. "Many of our Survivors are still waiting for justice. Others have already passed without seeing the Church live up to its responsibilities. Returning these sacred items would be a concrete act of accountability, one that aligns with the Church's rejection of the Doctrine of Discovery and its stated support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The MNC stands ready to engage in this work in partnership with the Catholic Church, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Indigenous leaders across the country. Since 1983, the Métis National Council has been the national and international voice of the Métis Nation within Canada. Through national research and policy development, the MNC advocates to advance the rights and interests of Métis Governments, including the implementation of the Métis Nation's inherent right to self-determination and self-government. The MNC is committed to accountability and transparency within its operations, and to its relationships with its Governing Members and other partners.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
The pope and the need for difficult conversations
Opinion There were many noteworthy moments this past week. From Earth Day to horrendous headlines about our economy to the upcoming election, it was long week; however, it was the passing of Pope Francis that gave me pause to reflect on the challenge of embracing difficult conversations, particularly about Indigenous people and the environment. Francis did not rely on his cardinals or his church underlings to do the heavy political lifting — he spoke to the people directly affected by church policies and history. As Canadians, we are now familiar with the apology for residential schools that resulted from those conversations and the role Manitobans played in moving the conversation forward. The hurt remains in many and the dialogue must continue, but no progress will be made if there are no difficult conversations initiated. We are in challenging times, and I fear that some politicians are using this moment to take advantage and forward their personal agendas, especially when it comes to economic development and the environment. Camp Morningstar has been attempting to have a conversation with Manitobans about resource extraction from an Indigenous perspective. The passing of the pope this week led me to reflect on our failed attempts to initiate difficult conversations with people in power. Few probably know that camp was represented at the Vatican as part of a cohort of Indigenous land defenders from around the world. The pope was an environmentalist. Who knew? I texted with Camp Morningstar's Lisa Raven while she was hosted in Vatican City. She shared that her plain room was in stark contrast to other rooms showcasing the vast wealth taken from Indigenous lands. It was a moment of awakening, and a little creepy, but at least it was the start of a conversation. These land defenders who gathered at the Vatican were encouraged to share their truths with the cardinals on how remnants of the Doctrine of Discovery, terra nulls and the papal bulls still contaminate Manitoba's Environment Act and Mines and Minerals Act and of course, the Indian Act. So if the Vatican can initiate difficult conversations, what is holding us up from having conversations about balanced legislation? The press has a role to play in ensuring their coverage is balanced and include these historical truths. For example, whining from the likes of Ontario Premier Doug Ford about Indigenous consultation holding up mining in the Ring of Fire and his call to get the federal government out of the way is troublesome. The imperfect adoption by Canada of UNDRIP is the one reason some Indigenous nations must resort to the courts. In Manitoba, Canadian Premium Sand was approved within months. The six-year and counting delay in the mine start-up has nothing to do with delayed licences. The constant myth that there is too much regulation is unfounded. A more likely culprit is the lack of staffing in the provincial licensing offices. The Technical Advisory Committee is tasked with enforcing some sort of standard for environmental protection and they can only go so quickly. If a company submits a weak environmental application, it creates a lot of work as the government wants the mine to succeed, but liabilities are real. No one is questioning the right to self-determination. The question is what constitutes informed consultation? When Camp Morningstar erected a teepee in the dead of a cold February night to protest the lack of information about a proposed mine, free speech was not a Constitutional right for First Nations on reserve. The legal journey to include that right did not start until 2020, long after Canadian Premium Sand had received their license. Let that sink in. Take Earth Day. It should have been a politician's handshaking delight — school children galore and people hopeful for a nod in their direction. I understand our premier was elsewhere. From the saddling of the environment minister with an extra portfolio to the lack of action on early promises to have the best environmental legislation, this government continues to dodge difficult conversations about the environment and balanced decision-making Premier Wab Kinew gets the last laugh. My riverfront home on the stunning Manigotagan River, the generational location of my husband's Indigenous family, has been prospected by 1911 Gold. So, in addition to the continual threat of a sand mine starting up in my front yard, I now have to think about a gold mine under my house and the river in what serves as my backyard. Seriously, is this anyone's idea of balance? Kinew, I call uncle. When the ice melts, you will find me out on the land that is left. Mary Jane McCarron is a lapsed Catholic.
Cision Canada
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
MNC President Travels to Rome for His Holiness Pope Francis's Funeral, Calls on Vatican to Return Métis Cultural Artifacts
OTTAWA, ON, April 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Métis National Council (MNC) President Victoria Pruden is travelling to Rome this week to attend His Holiness Pope Francis's funeral, joining Governor General Mary Simon, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, and the Honourable Raymonde Gagné, Speaker of the Senate of Canada. Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of compassion and humility, marked by his historic steps toward reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. In March 2022, a delegation comprised of Métis, First Nations, and Inuit Survivors, Elders, youth, leadership, and other community members travelled to the Vatican. There, they met with the Pope to discuss the legacy of the residential school system and its enduring impact on Survivors, families, and their communities. Pope Francis followed this with a visit to Canada in July 2022, where he delivered a formal apology in Maskwacîs, Alberta, acknowledging the Catholic Church's role in the residential school system. This moment was a significant step toward truth, healing, and reconciliation. The MNC hopes that the humility and accountability shown by Pope Francis will be carried forward by his successor and that the journey toward truth, justice, and healing continues. We call on the Catholic Church in Canada to continue meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples and to take further action towards reconciliation. This includes calling on the Vatican's Anima Mundi Museum to work with Métis knowledge-keepers, historians, and other experts to identify and return Métis cultural artifacts. These items are part of our stories and identities, and their return aligns with the Vatican's rejection of the Doctrine of Discovery and support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. President Pruden emphasized that for many Métis, the legacy of residential schools is not an abstract idea, but a lived experience marked by lasting trauma and pain. "Métis have a long history with the Catholic Church in Canada. Our Métis residential school Survivors are aging, and far too many have already passed without seeing the justice and healing they deserve. As President of the Métis National Council, I carry a responsibility to ensure we make actionable progress on reconciliation so that Survivors can see and feel its impact in their lifetime. The time to act is now. The Catholic Church must honour its obligations to the Métis Nation and take meaningful steps toward healing. My hope is that we can continue this critical work in partnership, alongside the next Pope, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and fellow Indigenous leaders across the country, to ensure all Survivors are seen, heard, and supported".
