Queen’s Jubilee renews calls to resume reconciliation work – National

The Queen’s platinum year celebration is a reminder of the complicated relationship Indigenous peoples of Canada have with the Crown, as well as the work that remains to be done for reconciliation, the leaders said.

She is the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee to mark 70 years on the throne, but the event has raised new questions about the monarchy’s role in colonization and whether the Royal Family Should I apologize or not?

Perry Bellegarde, former head of state for the Council of First Nations, spoke to Global News ahead of the celebration.

“I think it’s a waste of energy and time,” he said when asked if he thought the Queen should apologize. “I wanted to see and focus on what the monarchy was doing in terms of messaging,” Bellegarde said.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, faced calls to apologize to Indigenous people on behalf of the Crown Prince during their visit to Canada last month.

Leaders from the First Nations Congress and the Metis National Council have asked the Queen, head of the Church of England, to apologize.

The church is among those that run residential schools in Canada and has faced criticism for not doing enough to release a record of forced child abuse and treatment. study.

When it comes to that message, Bellegarde is clear: he sees Prince Charles’ strong focus on the need for sustainability and environmental protection as a valuable voice for the common good.

“He is a strong leader and advocate for something that is dear to all of us, not just in Canada but around the world. And it’s the climate, it’s the soil, it’s the water, which he always espouses the need to put nature first,” said Bellegarde.

“I quipped to him once when we met him in England that he was a First Nation in a different life, because he endorsed our worldview as are First Nation people: we are all connected to the land, we are all connected to the water. And he always talks about sustainable development.”

“That’s really the key for all of us globally.”

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Prince Charles pledges to ‘listen’ to indigenous people as royal tour of Canada begins

Bellegarde also stressed the need to continue to hold elected governments accountable and promote reconciliation, as well as ensure treaties are upheld.

Another expert noted that action makes the biggest difference.

Beverley Jacobs is a Mohawk from the Six Nations, Green River Territory, and serves as a senior advisor to the president of the University of Windsor on Indigenous relations and outreach.

She said the Crown’s legacy is one of “unhealthy” relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and most importantly resources put in place to support Indigenous communities.

“You can apologize all you want, but if you keep violating and apologizing at the same time, that’s not an apology,” she said. “For me, it’s the actions.”

The release of records around residential schools from the Anglican Church, of which the Queen is head, is an example of one of the actions that Jacobs thinks should take precedence.

“That’s what needs to happen,” she said.

Essentially, the question of Indigenous people’s relationship to the Crown really comes down to individual communities and their own people’s experiences, Jacobs added.

“Every community is different.”

– with files from Abigail Bimman of Global