A few weeks after Pope Francis’ visit to Canada, just over half (54%) of First Nations people saw his apology as a first step toward reconciliation, but there’s still a long way to go, according to a recent Angus poll by the Reid Institute .
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However, almost 36% of members of the Aboriginal community argued that these excuses had no real practical implications.
In the general population, three out of five people saw the sovereign Pope’s gesture as an outstretched hand, versus 32% who believe it will have no effect.
Around 40% of respondents also said it was a ‘small step’ rather than a ‘big step’ (18%).
When asked which institution was most responsible for the boarding school system, 52% of Canadians surveyed at the time blamed the federal government, Christian churches and society alike.
And for three out of five Canadians, there is still a long way to go after this papal visit.
The research was conducted August 8-10, 2022 among 2,279 Canadian adults.