Pope Francis visits Quebec and meets Canadian prime minister – 07/27/2022

By Kevin Dougherty and Philip Pullella

QUEBEC (Reuters) – Pope Francis met Canadian political leaders in Quebec on Wednesday, a diplomatic stop over the main purpose of his trip to the country, to apologize for the Church’s role in running boarding schools for indigenous people where abuses are common.

Arriving in the Quebec capital on the fourth day of his trip to Canada, the Pope sat in a wheelchair and smiled as he was greeted on the airport tarmac by indigenous representatives and political leaders.

The Pope was received at the Citadel, which is located by St. St. Lawrence, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and long honorary guards wearing red uniforms and black bearskin hats.

Fort Quebec is the largest British fort built in North America. It overlooks a garden called the Plains of Abraham, where the pope’s speech to dignitaries will be broadcast later. It is also one of the official residences of the Governor-General of Canada, Mary Simon, who represents Queen Elizabeth, Canada’s head of state.

The Pope first met Simon, who was the first native to serve as governor-general. Afterwards, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has made reconciliation with Canada’s indigenous peoples one of his political priorities, will speak privately with Francis.

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