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3 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,A ugust 11,2022 insidehalton.com Founded in 1991 Peter Watson MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI Jennifer Watson MBA, CFP®, CIM® Accepting new clients. Please visit www.watsoninvestments.com to book a free consultation. Offering safe virtual meetings and e-signatures for new client onboarding. "Our clients enjoy talking about their retirement dreams and we enjoy helping them get there." Peter & Jennifer info@watsoninvestments.com (905) 842 -2100 79$79 Over 120,000 satisfied custOmers 9 Locations to serve you better Heating & Cooling www.aireonewest.ca UPGRADE TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY CENTRAL AIR CENTRAL AIR DIAGNOSTIC SPECIAL *Call for Details*Call for Details $79$79 * CENTRAL AIR TUNE-UP SPECIAL *Call for Details $99$99 * OAKVILLE 905-849-4998 1-888-827-2665 UPGRADE TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY SYSTEM UPGRADE TO A HIGH EFFICIENCY CENTRAL AIR AIRE ONE HEATING & COOLINGAIRE ONE HEATING & COOLING & RECEIVE WAS $3899 * *Call for Details 10 Year Factory Warranty $5600$5600 10 Year Factory Warranty $2899$2899Startingfrom * *Call for Details $79 /MONTH OAC* $39 /MONTH OAC* 96% EFF. DON'T PAY UNTIL SUMMER 2023* *Call for details, o.a.c When Pope Francis made a historic apology to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada for the Catholic Church's role in forced as- similation and residential schools, he humbly asked for their forgiveness. "I humbly beg forgive- ness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous Peoples," said Francis. But when an apology goes unaccepted, it makes the invisible more obvious. It reveals how deep the wounds are felt. Similarly, the apology was like a re-traumatiza- tion for Jody Harbour, an urban Indigenous resident of Halton and co-founder of Grandmother's Voice, a Halton-based community for Indigenous people that advances healing and knowledge. "It's like he is poking a sharp object into the raw tissue of an open wound," Harbour said. "I have been a proud Indigenous wom- an my whole life. I never held the shame that many others inherited. My fa- ther carried that pain for my siblings and me." Harbour has spent most of her time engaging with Halton urban Indigenous communities, advocating and listening to residential school survivors and their families. But after she heard the Pope's apology, her first feeling was exhaustion in her body and a "heaviness" in her heart. "We are so past words," Harbour said as she felt the apology was not enough. She described the inci- dent as a selfish gesture by the Pope, giving particular attention to the proverbial saying, "Actions speak louder than words." "The apology contains words that may have meaning to the person de- livering the message. But did he think about the im- pact it would have on the people who are healing from the pain?" she said. When asked whether the Catholic Church could have managed the situa- tion differently, Harbour thought of Indigenous fam- ilies and residential school survivors in need. "The Catholic Church can contribute to the heal- ing of our Nation," she said. "A financial contribu- tion to some type of eco- nomic sovereignty of sur- vivors so they can ensure a path to healing for their lineage is what I could see possible." Harbour believes there is still hope for healing in this time, and although she was disappointed the apol- ogy was not accompanied by further effort, she thinks it can be the begin- ning of a path of renewal. "There are many at the beginning stages of learn- ing and remembering this horrible story. Everyone is on their own personal healing journey, including the Pope. My hope is that we share love and words of healing in this time." She also feels the social climate in Canada is better prepared to understand the truth of our country's history, which includes the grizzly discoveries of mass graves of Indigenous chil- dren, instances of sexual abuse, cultural shame, and the murder of Indigenous women. But despite Canada's dark history, Harbour said, "We are in a signifi- cant time of awareness and healing for the original people of these lands and a Nation founded on this truth." 'ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS' Jody Harbour, co-founder of the Halton-based Grandmothers Voice, didn't think much of Pope Francis' recent apology to Canada's Indigenous Peoples. Jody Harbour photo KYLE G. MACDONALD kymacdonald@ metroland.com NEWS HALTON INDIGENOUS GROUP MEMBER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT POPE'S APOLOGY "We are in a significant time of awareness and healing for the original people of these lands and a Nation founded on this truth." - Jody Harbour