An emotional session in Prince Rupert for those who listened to "long overdue apology"

Prince Rupert was one of many locations across Canada last week that held special listening sessions, designed as a gathering place for local residents wishing to join together to hear Prime Minister Stephen Harper issue his historic apology to First Nations citizens for their treatment under the residential school system.

The Prince Rupert session hosted by the Friendship House and Northwest Community College took place at the Prince Rupert campus, as residents of the North Coast listened carefully to the Prime Minister's words.

The Daily News featured details of the event and the reactions of those local residents who listened to the Prime Minister's speech as well as those comments from the opposition leaders and from First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine.

By the conclusion of the event, many were eager to see concrete results from those words of apology and shared their thoughts as part of a front page story in Friday's paper.

WORDS ARE WELCOMED, BUT MORE ACTION IS CALLED FOR
PM's apology received well by many, but good intentions must now be backed up, say critics
BY LEANNE RITCHIE
The Daily News
Friday, June 13, 2008
Pages one and five

The apology from the Prime Minister for the abuses suffered by First Nations because of the residential school system was well received in the Northwest.
However, the words need to be followed by actions.

Farley Stewart, executive director of the Friendship House, said those who attended the Northwest Community College/ Friendship House viewing were generally quiet and thoughtful after the event.

"I talked to an elder who is one of the teachers in our school.

"He watched from home and he was telling me that he started crying after he heard the apology.

He attended residential school for nine years," said Stewart.

"It was really nice to hear him say now it is time to move on."

Kevin McKay, chairperson of the Nisga'a Lisims Government, said he was particularly moved that all the party leaders apologized.

"Of particular importance to the Nisga'a Nation was the statement by Liberal Party Leader, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, that this was a shared responsibility of the various governments of Canada over 100 years of maintaining this government policy which affected more than 150,000 aboriginal children," he said.

"With the apology of the Prime Minister, with the statements by each of the leaders of the opposition parties and with the statements of the National Aboriginal leaders, the apology we witnessed today has set in motion a window of opportunity unprecedented in Canadian history to enable residential school survivors and their families to confront and conquer the painful memories and demons that continue to plague aboriginal people, communities and cultures."

However, it will be up to each individual to decide whether to accept that apology.

And both McKay and Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said they will be waiting and watching to see if the actions of government back up their words.

"To stand outside the House of Commons and hear the singing and drumming coming over my cell phone from the Northwest was very moving," said Cullen.

Cullen also sent along a piece of the Northwest spirit with NDP leader Jack Layton. As Layton participated in the apology, he wore Cullen's Haida necklace that he was given by a Haida chief.
"I've worn the necklace for years now. On the morning, I knew Jack had played this significant role in the creation of the apology by the Prime Minister," said Cullen.

"He'd been working in between First Nations and the Prime Minister's office so I said 'Why don't you wear this today?'

"When he was standing up giving his words to the story, there was a piece of the Northwest there. Ottawa sometimes is such a shallow place ... we've got to find time and the spirit to have something a little bit more profound going on."