Sask. residential school survivors have mixed reactions to Pope's apology

Pope Francis' apology was met with mixed reactions from Saskatchewan residential school survivors on Monday.

The pontiff met with residential school survivors from across Canada in Maskwacis, Alta., the home of the former Ermineskin Residential School.

Marina Gardypie attended St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake during 1950s and 60s.

Last spring she was at St. Paul Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon when children’s shoes were laid on its steps to honour the 215 children's bodies found buried on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. She says she accepts the Pope’s apology.

“I was really, really touched by the pope and he meant everything he said,” Gardypie said. “ What he talked about really made sense to me. Like the truth of what really happened.”

Joe Smokeyday attended St. Paul’s Residential School in Lebret for 10 years in 1950s and 60s. He was in disbelief watching the event and upset over the pope receiving a headdress.

“I think it’s disgusting and humiliating to the many of us that have gone through turmoil and abuse at the hands of these 'God’s Workers,'" Smokeyday said.

Milton Eyahpaise attended St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in 1976. He and his wife's parents and grandparents also attended residential schools.

He accepted the apology but says he hopes it was only the beginning.

“We need to do more to ensure that this apology is for real. We need to find the list of children's names that all went to residential school so that we can cross-reference and bring these babies home.”

He would also like artifacts that were brought from residential schools to the Vatican to be retrieved.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations says “action items" are more important that his apology. It also calls on artifacts and records from the Vatican to be retrieved.

Pope Francis has called for a formal investigation to be conducted into what occurred in these residential schools as the apology only symbolizes the first step in the reconciliation process.

Monday’s stop in Maskwacis is the only time he will visit a residential school.