Photo: The Canadian Press / AP-Andrew Medichini Former First Nations Assembly leader Phil Fontaine, left, stands outside St. Peter’s Square at the end of a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican in March. School survivors met with Roman Catholic bishops last week to discuss what they expect from Pope Francis’ visit to Canada next month. The meeting was followed by two-day talks between some members of the National Indian Residential School Circle of Survivors about visiting and reconciling with the church. Ken Yang, the former regional leader of the First Nations Assembly on Manitoba, says he was pleased with the pope’s apology for the church’s role in residential schools in Rome earlier this year. Young said he hopes the pope will also say the right thing when he comes to Canada. The survivors’ school team wants the papal visit to extend to more locations than planned stops in Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut during the July 24-July 29 trip. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton, says the bishops of Canada are committed to working with the survivors and all the natives during the visit and moving forward. Do you have an opinion? Send it to [email protected] June 9, 2022 – 7225 votes Is Canada doing enough to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine? Yes: 4349 No: 1803 Uncertain: 1073 June 8, 2022 – 6892 votes Should it be a crime to claim that the Canadian election was rigged? Yes: 2977 No: 3362 Uncertain: 553 June 7, 2022 – 6218 votes Are you prepared for another strong heat wave in BC this summer? Yes: 4486 No: 1299 Uncertain: 433 June 6, 2022 – 11748 votes Did the increase in the price of food cause you to reduce the number of groceries you buy? Yes: 8820 No: 2694 Uncertain: 234 June 5, 2022 – 10810 votes Concerned about BC’s healthcare system? Yes: 9593 No: 1021 Uncertain: 196
