Premier Andrew Furey says he feels it is important to follow up on the promise made by his predecessor, Dwight Ball to issue an apology to every family and community affected by the residential school system.
Furey was responding to concerns raised by the Nunatsiavut Government who questioned why a formal provincial apology is coming tomorrow in Cartwright to NCC members ahead of Nunatsiavut beneficiaries.
The Nunatsiavut Government, and the global Inuit organization, ITK, does not recognize NCC as an Inuit group.
Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe calls the decision to start the formal apology process with the NCC “an insult.”
The Innu Nation is supporting the Nunatsiavut Government in those concerns.
Meanwhile, the NunatuKavut Community Council is firing back, accusing Nunatsiavut of spreading “harmful lies and hurtful statements.”
President Todd Russell accuses the Nunatsiavut Government of using “lies, innuendo, lateral violence and hurtful statements” in denouncing NCC.
Russell calls the upcoming provincial apology a “profoundly important day and a time of healing” and NCC will continue to support and care for its people and lift them up.
Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe is defending the contents of their release.
Johannes Lampe, President, Nunatsiavut Government.
“Labrador Inuit will not be happy being called ‘liars'” says Lampe.
He calls the provincial government’s decision to offer an apology to NCC first, “an insult” and says it sets Truth and Reconciliation “a few steps back.”
He says the relationship they have with government has been put back, and there can be no reconciliation or healing from a process begun more than 500 years ago.
Premier Andrew Furey told reporters today that more apologies area coming.
He claims “this was the first one ready and scheduled” and he’s “fully committed in the not-too-distant future” for other apologies.
