Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc, Catholic Church to sign 'sacred covenant'

On Easter Sunday the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver will sign a "sacred covenant" outlining a historical record, shared truths and the church's commitment toward reconciliation.

The agreement will be signed on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

In a news conference Thursday Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Kúkpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir said the agreement is a result of long-term advocacy for "real accountability, for full disclosure" from the church, in an effort toward justice.

"We have been very clear that we require co-operation from the Roman Catholic Church, particularly when it comes to accessing records," she said.

Casimir's advocacy for accountability included visiting the Pope in Rome.

"I went to Rome with hope," she said. "Towards renewal and rebuilding at every level."

The covenant, she said, includes the Vancouver archdiocese's agreement to share historical documents and archives, and a commitment to funding cultural revitalization initiatives.

According to a statement from the First Nation, it also specifies a commitment for the church to contribute to appropriate memorialization of the children who attended residential schools, and for the church to offer and support healing services for survivors and their family members. 

As part of the information sharing commitment, the statement says the church is committing to help "identify and determine the truth related to missing children, including sharing of archives and records in Catholic possession."

Furthermore, the church is committing to try and answer any questions it can over the course of the nation's investigation of the former school.

The nation says it's a "significant step on the path of truth and reconciliation."

"My hope is that the archdiocese will undertake similar acts of contrition with many First Nations undertaking the same investigative work," Casimir said.

The announcement comes nearly three years after the First Nation announced what it called preliminary results of ground-penetrating radar work that it said showed approximately 200 potential burial sites on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Within days of the announcement, Archbishop J. Michael Miller of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver issued a formal apology in which he renewed a commitment to work with the nation.

Speaking at the joint press conference on Thursday Miller said the agreement is in keeping with the Pope's stated desire for the Catholic Church to build better relationships with First Nations.

Miller said the B.C. church is fully collaborating in sharing historical documents, but said the covenant doesn't cover the archives in the Vatican.

"I would encourage anyone to make all records available as far as I have any say in the matter," he said.

Miller also said he regretted the church's involvement in residential schools.

"Unquestionably the church was wrong," he said.

"We recognize our part in the resulting tragedies, but now we wish to journey … [to] greater healing, increased respect," he said.

The new covenant, he said, is more than a simple written agreement, and represents a sacred, spiritual commitment. Easter Sunday, he said, is the "ideal time" to start a new chapter in walking together with the nation.

The events connected to signing the covenant are not open to the public or media, however the nation has said it will share photos and information afterwards.

The Vancouver archdiocese previously committed $2.5 million over five years toward reconciliation with First Nations, and Miller said they are welcoming Indigenous-led initiatives to apply for grants.