"An Apology for Spiritual Harm" some musings and considerations
Out of the many things that had happened at the General Synod in Vancouver, one of the most meaningful for me was when our Primate Fred Hiltz offered an apology for the spiritual harm caused to the indigenous peoples of Canada. It was historical and it is only the beginning for the much needed reconciliation to occur. If there is one thing I tend to keep close to my chest is that I am Metis. I do so for many reasons. It took me decades to gather enough information for my genealogy and to properly apply for my Metis citizenship. Beyond the practical frustrations of having to "prove" I am Metis in a colonial way (your documents get submitted to the government to ensure that your not claiming Indian status as well as citizenship), I grew up with the mystery of knowing that I was a "half breed" or "half Indian" but was strongly encouraged by my mother to suppress this knowledge for fear for me (she was unsure if we were Metis or Cree). There are some