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aboriginal-prayer-breakfast-recognized-progress-in-relations
Former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl at the podium of the National Aboriginal Prayer Breakfast with Honorary Chief Kenny
Blacksmith and his wife Louise looking on. Photo by Paul Lauzon
First annual National Aboriginal Prayer Breakfast recognized
progress in relations
BY DEBORAH GYAPONG, CANADIAN CATHOLIC NEWS
June 25, 2013
OTTAWA - More than 500 people jammed the ballroom of Ottawa's Chateau Laurier Hotel for the first
annual National Aboriginal Prayer Breakfast June 21.
Co-host Honorary Chief Kenny Blacksmith, director of Gathering Nations International (GNI), told the
guests the vision for such a breakfast grew out of a desire to recognize many positive developments in
relations between First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples and the government of Canada. The breakfast, he
said, is meant to continue in a positive way to strengthen initiatives that would draw us together, he said.
We want to catch a glimpse of what lies beyond an exchange of forgiveness, Blacksmith said. When
youve learned to deal with the past, you also have this glimpse of a future just within reach. I am excited
for our nation.
Blacksmith recalled Prime Minister Stephen Harpers historic apology in the House of Commons in June
2008 for the wrongs inflicted by Indian Residential Schools.
We heard that apology across this nation, Blacksmith said. We knew it was very sincere.
But even more important was that Harper not only said he was sorry, but also asked, Please forgive us,
Blacksmith said.
Former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, who has since retired from politics, told the prayer
breakfast he imagined Harper was surrounded by lawyers at the time advising him not to apologize or ask
for forgiveness because of potential liability issues. But the Prime Ministers doing so was absolutely
powerful, he said.
Strahl recalled the National Forgiven Summit of 2010 where 5,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit people
came to Ottawa to extend forgiveness to the government of Canada and the churches. The event,
organized by GNI, offered a Charter of Forgiveness and Freedom to Strahl on behalf of the aboriginal
peoples present. That offer of forgiveness on the part of those leaders who were ready to offer
forgiveness was also powerful, he said.
Good things happen when people, organizations and governments ask for forgiveness, Strahl said. The
entire Christian faith is dependent on the forgiveness of sins.
Yet Strahl admitted the Western world has trouble understanding the concept of forgiveness and spends a
lot of time scrubbing spiritual terms and concepts out of the conversation.
Eyes glaze over when spiritual matters are talked about, he said.
We have a good track record in talking about our interests, but not in talking about value and spiritual
truth, he said.
His Aboriginal Affairs department was one that tried to recognize the spiritual side of life.
Aboriginal people have not allowed spiritual truth to be removed from the public domain, Strahl said.
Meetings with aboriginal leaders often involve prayer, he said. An elder will open the meeting in prayer;
nobody protests. Nobody talks about the separation of Church and state.
Its easy to understand a rights agenda, or the exercise of power or people making demands, Strahl said,
but harder to understand forgiveness and reconciliation, neither of which can be legislated.
How can you put in legislation I am going to force you to be a friend? he asked.
Forgiveness is so much in the heart and in the vision of the God who made all of us, who created us, said
Blacksmith.
Its in the heart of His Son Jesus. It is written in the black book, the Bible, simply, thats the way.
Our people have had prophetic dreams and visions hundreds of years ago that one day people would
come to our shores and one day a black book would be given to us, Blacksmith said. The missionaries
who came to North America 500 years ago, their job was not done in vain.
We received that black book and it has given us life and hope and vision for the future.
The breakfast was co-hosted by Conservative MP James Lunney and Conservative Senator Don Meredith.
Ontario Minister for Seniors Mario Sergio represented the Ontario government at the gathering. Speakers
included Rev. James Goll from Nashville, Tenn., and Rev. Brian Warren, co-host of the 700 Club Canada.
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