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October 14th, 2021

Angus to Trudeau: Who let the Catholic Church off the hook?

TIMMINS – MP Charlie Angus has written to Prime Minister Trudeau asking him to explain the 2015 decision to let the Catholic Church walk out on the millions owed to residential school survivors. The decision to drop the federal appeal against the Catholic Church was one of the first steps taken by the incoming Liberal government. Angus says answers are required because it has been learned that then Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould had not been consulted about the decision.

In a letter to the Prime Minister Angus asked who had the authority to bypass the AG in letting the Catholic Church renege?

“How is it possible that the Justice Department undertook instructions on such a politically important file when the Attorney General was kept in the dark? Did the decision come from the PMO or PCO? And why was the decision made to bypass the Attorney General? Who was behind the decision to side with the Catholic Church and their lawyers?”

The federal appeal against the Catholic Church was still underway after the cabinet was sworn in. Angus says it is difficult to imagine that a junior official would have acted arbitrarily in killing the appeal when it was widely known that the newly-elected Prime Minister had made reconciliation his top priority.

Angus says survivors and Canadians deserve answers.

“The federal government has a long and dismal history of collusion with the Catholic Church in covering up the crimes of the residential schools. It is time for you to step up and provide the leadership necessary to show Canadians that reconciliation is dependent on justice. In order to obtain justice we must know the truth. We need to know what steps you will take to ensure that this institution and its various orders live up to their legal and moral obligations to support survivors.”

You can read the letter here.