Trudeau waffles when asked if Canada exists on stolen land
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Kamloops on Monday as an invited guest of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc as the First Nation marked the first anniversary of the confirmation of 215 unmarked graves on the site of a former residential school.
Trudeau received a mixed reception as he arrived and made his way through the large crowd while flanked by several members of his security detail.
There were many well-wishers who greeted the prime minister warmly and asked to take selfies with him.
But he was also followed closely by a boisterous crowd of singers and drummers who wanted to get their own message across.
“Canada is all Indian land!” they sang while loudly beating their drums. “RCMP has no jurisdiction!”
Trudeau mostly ignored the group which also sang “We don’t need your constitution!”
But in brief remarks from the podium, the prime minister spoke directly to those singing the protest songs about stolen Indigenous land, telling them he understands their anger while trying to redirect the focus of the event back to the missing children.
“I hear you. This is about remembering those we lost. This is about gathering and reflecting on where we are, and mostly where we need to go all together,” he said.
At a news conference later in the evening, CTV News asked Trudeau if he believes Canada exists on stolen Indigenous land and he did not provide a definitive answer.
“Canada is a country that consists of Indigenous people who have been here for millennia, who welcomed in settlers in some cases and were overrun by settlers in others,” he said. “But we’re a country that exists today with a commitment to always learn from the past and always do better.”
Trudeau’s response to the question lasted more than 90 seconds but his answer was ambiguous and it is still not clear whether he believes First Nations had traditional territories they had occupied for thousands of years stolen from them.
“There’s no question that we can go back to the past and see all sorts of terrible things that happened…The story of Canada is the story of people coming together to build a better future for themselves and for their kids than they could gave imagined a generation before,” he concluded.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.