ROTHENBURGER – The Doctrine of Discovery isn’t as clear-cut as it seems

AFTER A VISIT of almost a week, Pope Francis boarded a plane yesterday to return home from Canada. It was, despite critics who managed to find fault with his words day after day, a remarkable event.

The media seemed intent on highlighting those who were dissatisfied rather than the many who found comfort in the visit.

Think about it. Indigenous leaders wanted the pope to offer an apology, and travelled to the Vatican to seek it. He gave them one.

They wanted him to come to Canada to apologize “on Canadian soil.” He came, and gave them another apology, a heartfelt personal penitence.

After his apology in Alberta, they wanted him to apologize in Quebec, so he apologized in Quebec. And then he did it again in Iqualuit.

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Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.