In recent years, as more and more children’s graves have been discovered in residential schools across Canada, the world is discovering the trauma of a population that suffered for decades under a system designed to “kill the Indian within the child. It is in this martyred land that Pope Francis is making a penitential pilgrimage from July 24 to 30.

Marine Henriot – Special Envoy to Edmonton, Canada

In 1990, Chief Phil Fontaine of the Assembly of First Nations broke the silence and denounced for the first time publicly the cases of abuse in the residential schools run by the Canadian federal government and supported by the Catholic Church. In the 2020s, the discovery of the graves of hundreds of children in the vicinity of these institutions provoked a wave of indignation and awakened Canadian and world opinion to the realities of Canada’s Natives communities. “In recent years, we have gone from a great ignorance and indifference on the part of the Canadian population towards the native people, to an openness,” notes Jean-François Roussel, a researcher attached to the University of Montreal, anthropologist and specialist in native cultures.

It is therefore a traumatized population that Pope Francis has come to meet on their land in the summer of 2022. A violence experienced in the residential schools, which crosses generations. Some native people have decided to cut ties with their families, with the community, because it is too difficult,” continues Jean-François Roussel, “others have never understood why their parents showed so little love, and the insecurity is reproduced between generations. It is very difficult to deal with this history, with reflexes that we don’t understand very well. Others still, did not have the words to talk about what they suffered: “There is shame and anger turned against oneself”, explains the anthropologist.

Being indigenous and Catholic

The Catholic Church has had a relationship with Canada’s Aboriginal peoples since the 17th century. In 1998, the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council was created within the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) to offer information and recommendations about Aboriginal communities and thus begin a healing process.

In 2009, during an exceptional audience, Benedict XVI received Aboriginal representatives in private. The Bavarian Pope expressed his regret for the role of the Church in the forced assimilation of Aboriginal children: “The Holy Father expressed his regret for the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of certain members of the Church and offered his sympathy and solidarity in prayer. His Holiness emphasized that acts of abuse cannot be tolerated in society,” the Holy See press release said at the time.

The Canadian Church officially apologized in September 2021 and six months later announced the creation of a $30 million fund to finance various reconciliation projects across Canada. In the spring of 2022, receiving more than 150 members of an Aboriginal delegation at the Vatican, Francis expressed his shame and indignation: “For the deplorable conduct of these members of the Catholic Church, I ask God’s forgiveness and I would like to say to you from the bottom of my heart: I am truly grieved.
Today, the official website of the national organizers of the papal visit states, “the Catholic Church has a responsibility to take authentic and meaningful steps to accompany the indigenous peoples of this country on the long road to healing and reconciliation.

Elder Fernie Marty is the Elder of Sacred Heart First Nations Church and will welcome the Pope to Edmonton on Monday, July 25. This sunny man, with a ponytail and deep eyes, defines himself as Catholic and Aboriginal. Born in Edmonton, he belongs to the Papaschase First Nation. “I feel blessed to live in both worlds,” he said during the final preparations to welcome Francis, “my mother made sure I was baptized at birth, and my mother’s family made sure I stayed close to our Aboriginal culture. I was able to blend these two cultures that I was born into.
According to the last major Canadian census conducted in 2011, 36% of Aboriginal people said they were Catholic and 31% said they did not belong to any religious group. A non-mandatory census, however, nuances Jean-François Roussel, “all researchers agree that this census is not very reliable”, but it is currently one of the only statistical tools available to determine the proportion of Catholics among Aboriginal people: “The Catholic faith remains an important reference among Aboriginal communities and in the family memory. There is an existential dimension to the Christian faith, an attachment to Christ with local community forms.

Moreover, if some indigenous people feel that they have been betrayed by the Church, respect for the choice of individuals and religious freedom are highly valued in the indigenous culture.

Attachment to the Land

Land is intrinsically attached to the Indian Act of 1876. This same land on which the 139 residential schools were built, this same land confiscated by the Canadian federal government, divided into reserves “to solve the Indian problem”, explains Jean-François Roussel. Thus, although Alberta is the traditional territory of the First Nations, the 138 reserves represent today only a little more than 1% of the total surface of the province, sheltering the members of the 47 First Nations of Alberta.

Reserves managed with humiliating texts. For example, some stipulate that these despoiled territories must not measure more than 2.6 square kilometres for each family of five. Many generations of natives have grown up on coveted, confiscated land, “the land is linked to a suffering experience”, explains the anthropologist, “the residential schools were created to transform the mentality of the children, to remove this relationship to the land and make them into Canadians like any other, who mixed with other Canadians”.

Finally, the land also represents the motherland, the shelter of the buffalo, the source of food and the basis of nomadism, before their gradual disappearance and the arrival of famine in certain regions. “Yes, I heard the apology of the Pope in Rome, and it was essential, but it is much more important precisely here, because this is where everything happened. I don’t know what healing looks like that we’re talking about, but whatever happens, I’m ready to follow it!”, concludes Elder Fernie Marty.

The United Nations General Assembly by the Resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987 decided to celebrate the 26 June, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, “as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

“Supported each year by individuals, communities, and various organizations all over the world, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe since 2004 is channelling the views of a hundred Say No To Drugs (SNTD) organizations and groups of volunteers across Europe (including in Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Ireland) whose purpose is to inform, to educate the public at large including the most vulnerable: the youth, on the harming effects of drug use. Indeed, despite what is spread by any organizations with vested interests in the business of drugs, there are no soft drugs. And this is very clear on the materials all these groups used, known as “The Truth About Drugs” campaign.

It is important to remind that legally speaking, the drug’s availability is strictly regulated by the International Drug Control Conventions (1961, 1971, 1988) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000/C 364/01) – Directive (EU) 2017/2103, to protect the population and prevent their illicit use. More specifically, the protection of the youth is provided by the European Charter of the Rights of the Child – Recommendation 874 (1979) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, art.33, 1989.

But the data and legislations hardly reach the grassroots level despite the increasing efforts of the concerned institutions. Through contacts with the public, teachers, associations leaders or trainers at random from their booths/tents set up in the streets, markets, and squares and by visiting shops, the SNTD teams are witnessing a striking lack of education on this vital subject, thus leaving the way open for these highly organized and powerful networks of drug dealers. So, to contribute to raising the awareness of the public, educators, community leaders and officials, the SNTD Teams are distributing freely educative booklets on the 14 most used drugs and other video educative materials provided by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World in 17 languages. “Education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance” rightly said the philosopher William Durant ( 1885-1981).

All the SNTD volunteers from Europe are very interested and concerned with this day celebration, enabling them to meet and inform the public and the youth and get them involved to take responsibility to protect themselves but also their family and friends from the harmful effects of drug use.

But drug use is not just harming. Ultimately and rapidly, due to the addictive psychoactive components, drug abuse is leading to the destruction of the user and more. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) recently reported that “drug-related mortality accounts for a considerable percentage of deaths among young people in many European countries”. According to the last estimation (31 August 2021) “at least 5,141 overdose deaths occurred in the European Union in 2019. This rises to an estimated 5,769 deaths if Norway and Turkey are included”. A dreadful ignorance! 

Hereafter are some examples from Europe of SNTD Teams in action in the frame of the 26 June Celebration:

1) Austria

In Vienna, they held their tent at the Millennium City, a train station and shopping center, near the Donauinsel (Danube Island). The 8 volunteers distributed 800 booklets and collected 40 signatures on the board with the pledge to Stay Drug-free. In addition, they had their successful street paintings for the children and significant contacts were made with associations and educators for further lectures on drugs.

2) Belgium

The team organized in Brussels an Open House on the drug subject followed by a 1h30 seminar in Dutch and French. More than 50 people were attending, very interested to get factual data on drugs. Then, they took: 22 booklet sets (a set containing 14 different booklets on the most used drugs), 9 info kits and 6 DVDs (with testimonies and short presentations) in French; 7 booklet sets, 5 info kits and 5 DVD’s in Dutch; 8 booklet sets and 5 info kits in English.

3) Czech Republic

This year was their 18th Cyclo-run, starting on 13 June for 10 days, covering some 1200 Kms and crossing 41 towns. Along the way, the “bikers and runners” met with town representatives, and community leaders did to say the less, lectures in 30 schools to more than 4,500 children, distributed 10,000 fliers and 35,000 booklets to the public, got 5 TV reports, several radios and newspapers, raising the awareness on the untold harming effects of drug use and spreading the message on the importance of a drug-free life.

4) Denmark

A Team of some 10 persons were mobilized to hold info stands in front of the main train station of Copenhagen. This way 2,300 booklets from the series The Truth About Drugs and 200 fliers got distributed to the passers-by. This was also a good opportunity to answer questions on drugs and to get in relation with people interested in a follow-up on the drug subject.

5) France

Along the week some 4,261 booklets were hand-distributed and 160 shops were visited in cities and villages across France such as in Paris (with a singer) and suburbs, Lyon, Pau, Nice, Angers, Auray, Clermont-Ferrand, Riom, Erquy,  Cahors and in Marseille who in addition got in 1,5 hrs some 272 signatures on their pledges: An Engagement to Stay Drug-Free.  

6) Germany

The info stand was in the middle of the main walking street of Frankfurt for about 2,5 hours with 6 helpers. Among the visitors, they had a teacher interested in his school, ladies from the Techno-Scene for a lecture, and a group of 5 girls (around 13 years old) who took booklets for their friends. One came back half an hour later to take more booklets with her for more friends! 825 booklets were distributed and fruitful contacts were made.

7) Greece

They were 15 Volunteers from the Athens team who distributed 2,500 booklets during 1,5hrs in the Piraeus harbour area and also to some shops around. The motto: “Inform people before dealers do”. Adolescents, adults and young parents, all were interested to have more data on drugs and were happy to get these informative booklets for them and their friends. Many pertinent questions were answered to full satisfaction.

The FDFE and all the European SNTD volunteers are very concerned about the protection of the youth from the deleterious effects of drug use. The old saying “Prevention is Better than Cure” has a much greater implication than it seems: it encompasses not only the individual but the family circle and has a great incidence on the community and social living.  Aligned with the purpose of the 26 June celebration, let us remember these words of the humanist Ron Hubbard (1911-1986): “The drug scene is planet-wide and swimming in blood and human misery. Research demonstrates that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs.” 

The drug problem is not a fatality. To curtail the drug demand an early education of the children as primary prevention, good parental examples, and the support of youth associations, community and authorities are the efficient tools. Indeed, as the old African proverb says: “It takes a whole village to educate a child”. This is the safe and sane way “to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse”.