Archbishop visit to Six Nations postponed

The international head of the Anglican Church has cancelled a planned visit to Six Nations of the Grand River.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, was set to meet with survivors of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School at the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford this spring.

Kimberly Murray, who is heading up a survivor-led search of the Anglican-run residential school grounds, said survivors “expressed mixed emotions” about the visit.

“Survivors indicated they were not looking for more empty words of regret but want action,” said Murray, a lawyer and former Truth and Reconciliation Commission director.

The group, called the Survivors’ Secretariat, indicated at a meeting earlier this month they would only meet with the archbishop if he “was prepared to discuss how the Anglican Church would provide financial support for the revitalization of Indigenous languages,” she said.

The group also wanted to discuss how the church could help retrieve records from the New England Company, the church-run organization that initially opened the school in the 1800s, which could uncover information that would help their search.

“The Survivors’ Secretariat suggested the visit by the archbishop be postponed to allow time for proper Indigenous protocols to be followed,” she said.

It is unclear whether planning is underway for a future visit.

The archbishop is expected to meet with Indigenous leaders in Prince Albert, Sask., and Toronto between April 29 and May 3. Church spokesperson Joe Vecsi said the archbishop will meet with Indigenous clergy and others from Six Nations in Toronto on May 2.

The archbishop’s visit comes weeks after Pope Francis issued an apology at the Vatican to Indigenous peoples for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools.