The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) on Missing Children and Unmarked graves began in Montreal on Monday. Hosted by the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, this international opinion tribunal that runs until Friday was established to demand accountability for alleged crimes against Indigenous children in Canada’s residential schools.
The prosecution, on behalf of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, is arguing that Canada had committed alleged crimes against humanity and genocide primarily through residential schools and other institutions, but also through an ongoing practice of forced and coerced sterilization across the country.
“There are five means of genocide and what the prosecution is alleging is that all five, the elements of all five of those acts can be proven based on the evidence that will be before this tribunal,” said Christa Big Canoe, the lead prosecutor and legal director at Aboriginal Legal Services.
“We already have the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry and my report as the special interlocutor that has said that what has happened to Indigenous children in this country is genocide and also crimes against humanity.” explained Kimberly Murray, an expert witness at the tribunal as well as the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children & Unmarked Graves associated with Indian Residential Schools.
“We want each witness and survivor to share their story that will compel Canadians to know, to want to know the truth and for hopefully the government to do better,” said Na’kuset, the executive director for the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal.
The PPT will hear from a number of witnesses that will include experts and residential school survivors.
“Sexual, physical, physical abuse, I’ve got beat with a strap,” said Leo Nicholas, a residential school survivor from the Munsee-Delaware Nation in Southwestern Ontario, who will be speaking at the tribunal.
“It taught me that I couldn’t be a good parent. I didn’t know how to show love. I didn’t have trust.” explained Eleanor Hegland, another residential school survivor attending the tribunal, from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band in Northern Saskatchewan.
The PPT says that they invited Prime Minister Mark Carney to represent Canada in the tribunal. An empty chair was placed in front of the judges to represent Canada’s place as the defence.
In a written response to CityNews, the federal department of Crown-Indigenous relations explained that the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal is an independent, non-governmental initiative, and the Government of Canada is not participating in the proceedings despite acknowledging that residential schools are a shameful part of Canada’s colonial history.
“The federal government is not here. Why? They don’t want to know the truth,” said Nicholas.
“Legally, obviously this tribunal is not a state tribunal. It’s a people’s tribunal. What’s important is to have really an independent point of view,” explained Gianni Tognoni, the General Secretariat for the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal.
This Friday, the PPT will provide a preliminary declaration, but the full judgement will be announced on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation also known as Orange Shirt Day.
“If we are successful, the declaration would actually list all of the crimes that are alleged affirmatively that Canada has indeed committed these crimes and the declaration would note that the state has international obligations,” added Big Canoe.
