Crimes have been committed against Canadas Indigenous people. Justin Trudeau has no excuse for not bringing the perpetrators to justice – Toronto Star

At noon on Saturday, I will be leading a march on Parliament Hill along with Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus and Indigenous elders. We will be marching to call on the government and in particular, Attorney General David Lametti and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take the steps necessary to appoint an independent special prosecutor, with International Criminal Court observers, to investigate the crimes against Indigenous peoples through the residential school system.

Almost 20,000 Canadians have emailed Lametti demanding action, but so far, the Liberal government is stubbornly refusing to do the right thing. Its clear that we need to take to the streets if the First Peoples of these lands are going to see truth and justice from the federal institutions.

How can there be reconciliation without truth? How can there be reconciliation without justice?

This is not ancient history. The last residential school closed less than 30 years ago. People like Father Johannes Rivoire who was charged in 1998 with sex crimes against children dating back to the 1960s, but was never brought to trial are still alive.

And who knows how many of those who preyed on Indigenous children in those schools are still out there? The system, which was a partnership between church and state, continues to protect these pedophiles. No one cared enough when this abuse was taking place, and the inaction today shows that the system, and the people upholding it, are fine with our suffering and death.

This system was committed to annihilating Indigenous peoples. This was genocide.

When a genocide happens, shouldnt the perpetrators be brought to justice? Its not as though we dont have the evidence. The federal government has the names of many alleged abusers on file, but it is burying the evidence and protecting perpetrators. The Liberal government is also shamefully refusing to use its clear power to compel the Catholic Church to release its records. Canadians are and should be outraged by this government coverup. We are hitting the streets of Ottawa to tell the federal government that this must stop today.

The violence and abuse of the residential school system is still ripping through communities in my riding and across the country. Everyone I know in Nunavut has been affected in some way by the cycles of trauma that began when the federal government, through its partnership with the church, stole children from their families and put them into day schools, sanatoriums, and residential schools.

Canada is a country that was built on the oppression and displacement of Indigenous peoples. Like prime ministers before him, Justin Trudeau is refusing to do whats needed to bring us the truth and justice that we clearly deserve. Instead of action, we get excuses. Lametti acts like there is nothing he can do. Trudeau says hes supportive of a criminal investigation, but that he doesnt have the power to act.

I want to set the record straight: these are excuses. The federal government has the power to set up this investigation. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions Act, the attorney general can recommend and refer the appointment of a special prosecutor to the director of public prosecutions. The issue is a lack of political will, not a lack of political authority.

Despite the endless excuses and evasions from the federal government, the reality is that it has the power to fulfil our demands. Indigenous people continue to die every day as a result of intergenerational trauma. The federal government refuses to do whats needed to create the healing we need.

Its hard for me to explain how fed up we are with the prime ministers pretty words. Legal experts and Indigenous nations agree it is time for action.

More and more Canadians are waking up to reality and seeing through a government that uses pretty words to mask more colonial inaction. Thats why were marching in Ottawa this weekend.

Throughout my time as a member of Parliament, people from across Canada have contacted me and asked how they can take action to fight for justice for the First Peoples of these lands. This is how. Now is the time to act. If you can make it, I expect to see you there. Join us on Parliament Hill on Saturday and show the prime minister that he cant ignore us anymore.

Join us on Parliament Hill on Saturday. If you cant, please send an email demanding an independent special prosecutor. Lets show the prime minister that he cant ignore us anymore.

Mumilaaq Qaqqaq is the member of Parliament for Nunavut.

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Crimes have been committed against Canadas Indigenous people. Justin Trudeau has no excuse for not bringing the perpetrators to justice - Toronto Star