Catholic bishops pledge $30M for residential school survivors, AFN expresses skepticism

Canada's Catholic bishops on Monday said they would give $30 million to help support survivors of the residential school system, a pledge met with cautious optimism by some survivors and skepticism by the Assembly of First Nations. 

"I'm glad they're saying it, but I'll wait until we see it," said Madeleine Whitehawk, a Cote First Nation elder and a survivor of St. Philip's Catholic residential school in Saskatchewan.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) said the funds will be doled out over five years. The move comes after the CCCB apologized to Indigenous people for the suffering endured in Canada's residential schools, most of which were run by the Catholic Church.

"This effort will help support programs and initiatives dedicated to improving the lives of residential school survivors and their communities, ensuring resources needed to assist in the path of healing," CCCB president Raymond Poisson said in a statement.

"The commitment will be achieved at the local level, with parishes across Canada being encouraged to participate and amplify the effort."

AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said in a statement the pledge was "long overdue."

And, she added: "Due to previous financial promises by the church not being met, [I'm] sure the Bishops will understand First Nations skepticism and mistrust about their commitments."