First Nations Delegates Meet With Pope Francis

Former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine, stands outside St. Peter's Square at the end of a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, on March 31, 2022. Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

First Nations chief Gerald Antoine said Thursday that the meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican marks the beginning of a partnership, as Canadian indigenous communities call for an official apology from the Catholic Church over residential schools.

“We very much hope that these discussions will be the beginning of continued dialogue and partnership in which we can learn from the past and share our vision for a hopeful future,” the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) delegation lead said in a press conference on March 31 after meeting the pontiff.