Atlantic chiefs repeat calls for residential school apology

First Nations chiefs in the Atlantic region renewedtheir requestthat an apology be made to former residential school students at a Congress of First Nations Chiefs in Moncton on Monday.

In 2005, the federal government announced financial compensation to former residential school students who qualified. According to Rick Simon, regional vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations, that offer is not enough.

Simon said financial compensation doesn't mean anything unless the federal government expresses an apology.

"It's as simple as the prime minister getting up and issuing an apology in the House of Commons," Simon said. "Everything else has been done. All that's left is for him to show his heart is in the right place."

Between 1870 and 1970, thousands of native children were taken from their families and placed in Indian residential schools, where many lost their language and culture.

Some surviving students from the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School spoke at the meeting. They said an apology must be made soon, because survivors are dying at a rate of three to five per day.

In a letter sent to the prime minister's office on Monday, the assembly reminded the government of its apology to Japanese Canadians for their treatment during the Second World War, as well as a relatively quick apology to Maher Arar, after he was deported to Syria and tortured.

"Compensation is great, but there has to be an apology first," said Lottie Johnson, a former student at a residential school in Nova Scotia. "Why has the government offered other groups an apology, but not First Nations people?"

With talk of a spring election, First Nations chiefs in the region are hoping federal politicians are paying attention.

Simon said thatif an apology doesn't come soon, the legacy of residential schools will become an election issue.