Canada's Trudeau, Apologizes After Skipping Ceremony, for Indigenous School Victims.<br />NPR reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered <br />an apology to Indigenous leaders after skipping the country's <br />first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.<br />NPR reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered <br />an apology to Indigenous leaders after skipping the country's <br />first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.<br />The day of recognition, approved by Canada's parliament <br />in the spring, is meant as a remembrance for Indigenous <br />victims and survivors of state-run residential schools.<br />The day of recognition, approved by Canada's parliament <br />in the spring, is meant as a remembrance for Indigenous <br />victims and survivors of state-run residential schools.<br />On October 18, Trudeau visited the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation to offer his apology to Chief Rosanne Casimir. .<br />I am here today to say I wish I had been here <br />a few weeks ago, and I deeply regret it. <br />Instead of talking about truth and <br />reconciliation, people talked about me, <br />and that's on me. I take responsibility for that, Justin Trudeau, via NPR.<br />I am here today to say I wish I had been here <br />a few weeks ago, and I deeply regret it. <br />Instead of talking about truth and <br />reconciliation, people talked about me, <br />and that's on me. I take responsibility for that, Justin Trudeau, via NPR.<br />NPR reports that Canada's residential school system forcibly separated about 150,000 Indigenous children from their families from 1831 until the 1990s.<br />NPR reports that Canada's residential school system forcibly separated about 150,000 Indigenous children from their families from 1831 until the 1990s.<br />Many of those children were subjected to starvation and physical and sexual abuse.<br />Casimir said the First Nations sent two invitations to <br />Trudeau's office asking him to attend the ceremony.<br />According to Casimir, the ceremony <br />was a way for Trudeau to show his , "commitment to rectifying the historical wrongs <br />of residential schools and to grieve with<br />our residential school survivors.".<br />According to Casimir, the ceremony <br />was a way for Trudeau to show his , "commitment to rectifying the historical wrongs <br />of residential schools and to grieve with<br />our residential school survivors.".<br />The prime minister's official itinerary placed him <br />in private meetings in Ottawa on the day of the ceremony.<br />It was later revealed that Trudeau was, in fact, on vacation with his family in Tofino on Vancouver Island.<br />It was later revealed that Trudeau was, in fact, on vacation with his family in Tofino on Vancouver Island
