Vancouver Island religious and First Nations leaders respond to Vatican renouncing Doctrine of Discovery
The Vatican is asking Indigenous people from across the globe for forgiveness as it revokes the "Doctrine of Discovery," which was used by the church and states to justify colonial conquests.
On Vancouver Island, there's relief from Indigenous and religious leaders, as well as curiosity about what it means for land claims.
Eddy Charlie, cofounder of Victoria Orange Shirt Day and a residential school survivor, is one of many people who has been advocating for the Vatican to revoke the Doctrine of Discovery.
"The identities that were lost were important," he said.
"For the past 40 years, give or take, Indigenous people have been trying to get the government and the Vatican to revoke that," said Charlie.
When the Vatican renounced the 15th-century policy, Charlie says he felt relief.
"It's also one of the biggest root causes of pain that Indigenous people are feeling today," he said.
The doctrine gave support to the theft of Indigenous lands and formed the basis of some property law in Canada.
"We’ve been waiting for it for such a long time. Maybe we need some fireworks, I don’t know," said Judith Sayers, Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council president, with a laugh.
On Thursday, the Vatican said that the policy did not reflect the equal dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples.
The bishop for Victoria's Roman Catholic Diocese hopes that Thursday's statement will establish equality in negotiations with colonial governments.
"When you’re trying to speak to a correction of history that’s centuries long, you need to do your homework and you need to get it right," said Bishop Gary Gordon.
"The courts, up until quite recently, have still been using this so-called doctrine of discovery to defend certain colonial and vested interests in development and in land," he said.
The Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council says it wants Canada to revisit those court cases.
"How do we reverse those? There’s a whole series of questions now that the doctrine has been revoked," said Sayers.
High on the list of questions is if Thursday's statement will actually help First Nations get their land back.
"We’ve always had to prove that the land is ours," said Sayers. "The government that came in and stole our lands and resources has never had to do that."
She hopes one day Indigenous governments never have to do that again and says Thursday's long-awaited renouncement will help make that happen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.