During a press conference today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized for his vacation to Tofino during the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation last week.
Trudeau flew to the remote Vancouver Island tourist destination last Thursday, intending to spend time with his family when most were observing a day meant to honour Indigenous victims of residential schools.
“Travelling on September 30th was a mistake and I regret it,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau said he apologized to the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc First Nation Chief Rosanne Casimir over the weekend.
Trudeau had received at least two invitations to spend the day with survivors and their families of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, who uncovered the unmarked graves of 215 children at a residential school site in Kamloops earlier this year.
A journalist with Global News filmed the prime minister walking along a beach last Thursday, where Trudeau declined to comment.
See more: Canadians react to Trudeau’s Tofino vacation on the first annual Truth & Reconciliation Day
Many criticized the Prime Minister for lying about where he was going to be on September 30th—his itinerary pitted him in Ottawa.
On Wednesday, Trudeau insisted his itinerary did not lie and that he did take phone meetings on September 30th with residential school survivors.
