N.W.T. residential school survivors, descendants head to Edmonton for papal visit

The residential school system has been a large part of Mabel Brown's family story.

At six years old, her mother was sent to St. Peter's Indian Residential School in Hay River, N.W.T.

Brown herself also attended residential schools along with her eight siblings. She bounced around from Stringer Hall in Inuvik to Bompas Hall in Fort Simpson, and then to Akaitcho Hall in Yellowknife where she eventually graduated.

And that has left a lasting impact on her family to this day, according to the Inuvik resident.

"When I got triggered, it went on to my daughter and then trickled down to my grandson who is 25 right now," said Brown who is Gwich'in.

"So the evidence is there. You can see the way we are, our behaviours and how we walk through life, the struggles that we had, and the difficulties that we had — difficulties sometimes in learning, difficulties in relating to one another, difficulties in marriage, difficulties with alcohol."

Pope Francis will be in Edmonton July 25 and 26 to meet with Canada's Indigenous peoples and apologize in person for the abuse suffered in residential schools at the hands of the Catholic Church.

Brown will be one of 40 delegates from 18 N.W.T communities being sent by the Diocese of MacKenzie Fort-Smith for the papal visit. Many others from the region are also planning to make the trip. 

But Brown says she would've found a way to see the pope in person, one way or another. For her, getting the chance to be there in person is an opportunity to let go of some of the trauma. 

"I just hope that this time now will be the time when he's going to say 'I'm sorry,'" said Brown. "Say it by his mouth, with his heart and really feeling it for us, what has happened. Because it's almost like something is killing us and we need that thing to be gone."

Indigenous governments have recognized how important the event is to many people and are providing travel assistance to help ensure all who want to are able to attend.

The Tłı̨chǫ Government is providing air travel from Whatì, Gamètì, and Wekweètì to Yellowknife for Tłı̨chǫ elders planning to go to Lac Ste. Anne for the papal visit. It is also providing buses for elders and residential school survivors from Behchokò. 

The Gwich'in Tribal Council will provide funding to help Gwich'in participants attend the papal visit.

Over one in six community members of Colville Lake, N.W.T., pop. 129, is planning to go, according to Wilbert Kochon, the Grand Chief of the Sahtu Region.