Canada PM Trudeau apologises to LGBT community over ill-treatment, calls 'collective shame'

Trudeau, who was delivering a speech in the House of Commons, said: "You are professionals. You are patriots. And above all, you are innocent. And for all your suffering, you deserve justice, and you deserve peace."

"It is our collective shame that you were so mistreated. And it is our collective shame that this apology took so long – many who suffered are no longer alive to hear these words. And for that, we are truly sorry" the Canadian PM was quoted by CBC News.

The applause from Trudeau's colleagues in the House made the PM move to tears at times.

The PM said: "Our laws made private and consensual sex between same-sex partners a criminal offence, leading to the unjust arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of Canadians."

"This criminalization would have lasting impacts for things like employment, volunteering, and travel" he added.

Calling the attack on the community a "witch-hunt", Trudeau said the government laws and policies have only emboldened the attackers and legitimised violence.

Trudeau said: "From the 1950s to the early 1990s, the government of Canada exercised its authority in a cruel and unjust manner, undertaking a campaign of oppression against members, and suspected members, of the LGBT communities."

"Those who admitted they were gay were fired, discharged, or intimidated into resignation. They lost dignity, lost careers, and had their dreams and indeed, their lives, shattered.," the PM added.

Trudeau in recent times were seen in an apologetic mood as the PM, days ago, begged apology from the First Nations people.

Trudeau on Friday apologised to hundreds of first nations' people who had undergone abuse in a boarding school system.

The indigenous people were forcefully placed into a system of boarding school but the system was full of abuses.

Trudeau apologised to the indigenous students who had to attend the residential schools in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Today, we apologize to former students of Newfoundland and Labrador residential schools and to the families, loved ones, and communities for the painful & tragic legacy these schools left behind.." Trudeau said on Twitter.

Along with the apology, the PM acknowledged the many Innu, Inuit, and NunatuKavut children who were neglected and abused, and who suffered lasting damage to their culture and language because of the residential school system.

Trudeau said: "For every Innu, Inuit, and NunatuKavut child in Newfoundland and Labrador who suffered discrimination, mistreatment, abuse, and neglect in residential schools – we are sorry. While this long overdue apology will not undo the harm done, we offer it as a sign that we as a government and as a country accept responsibility for our failings."

"It is our shared hope that we can learn from this past and continue to advance our journey of reconciliation and healing. We have the power to be better and to do better.,” the PM added.

The Prime Minister even said the government needs to acknowledge the past where intergenerational trauma had affected the first nations people.

However, according to some media reports, the local leaders feel Trudeau's apology is just not enough.

Students, who were separated from their parents, had to endure emotional, physical and sexual abuses in the boarding schools.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)

Image: Official Facebook page of Justin Trudeau