Métis elder plans to speak of missing children in Monday meeting with Pope Francis

Childhood memories flooded back for Angie Crerar, an elder from the  Métis Nation of Alberta, as she embarked on her journey to Rome for a historic meeting with Pope Francis. 

The 85-year-old survivor of the residential school system is one of eight Métis delegates who will meet the Pope privately for one hour on Monday at the Vatican.

The Métis delegation is the first of three Indigenous delegations, along with First Nations people and Inuit, scheduled for audiences with the Pope this week to discuss the impact of the Roman Catholic Church's role in operating the majority of residential schools in Canada, and how the church can try to make amends.

"Very excited, very humbled, so very grateful," she said.

On the way to Rome, Crerar wore a deep blue blazer and red Métis sash that represents the blood Métis shed fighting for their rights.

While she waited to depart the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Crerar was reminded of what helped her survive nearly a decade of residential school. 

"Although they tried to change us, to say that our family was no good … my mom and dad taught us kindness, to love, respect," Crerar said.

It's with that sentiment that Crerar is focusing her message to Pope Francis not only for an apology, but to also help identify the lost children from residential schools. 

"These children have the right to have a name and identity," Crerar said.

Métis National Council President Cassidy Caron will help Crerar push for unfettered access to church and residential school records with the Pope and other church officials the delegation plans to meet this week, including Roman Catholic cardinals.

"Putting names to the children is incredibly important in the healing journey of our people," Caron said.

"We will be advocating for that to Pope Francis as well as many other church officials, who we will be meeting with throughout this week."

Crerar said she will never forget the day in 1946 when she not only became a residential school student, but a mother to her two younger sisters aged five and three.

The RCMP took her and her siblings on a plane away from Yellowknife after her mother died of tuberculosis.