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 There’s a whole series of questions now that the doctrine has been revoked," said Sayers.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
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.