Canadian Indigenous leader says he was 'filled with rage' before 'intense' conversation with Trump

KANANASKIS, Alberta -- A Canadian Indigenous person who greeted satellite heads of authorities arriving for the Group of Seven summit says helium was “filled with rage” and considered leaving earlier Donald Trump arrived — saying the U.S. president has “caused overmuch symptom and suffering successful the world.”

Instead, Steven Crowchild prayed, consulted with his peoples' leaders and yet opted to enactment connected the tarmac for a agelong speech with Trump that helium hopes volition telephone much attraction to promoting peace, protecting cleanable h2o and different issues cardinal to Canada's First Nation peoples.

“It was truly intense, to accidental the least," Crowchild told The Associated Press connected Monday, recalling his lengthy brushwood with Trump connected Sunday nighttime successful Calgary for the G7 successful adjacent Kananaskis. “When I woke up connected Father's Day, I didn’t expect I would beryllium seeing satellite leaders, and 1 definite idiosyncratic that has caused overmuch symptom and suffering successful the world.”

In Canada, First Nations refers to 1 of 3 large legally recognized groups of aboriginal people. Crowchild, of the Tsuut’ina First Nation, is simply a Tsuut’ina Isgiya and a existent elected subordinate of the Tsuut’ina Nation Xakujaa-yina and Chief and Council.

Crowchild said helium spoke successful his people's accepted language, wore feathered headgear that made him consciousness beardown and showed Trump pact medals that helium told the president were older than Canada itself. Trump wore a achromatic “Make America Great Again” headdress and appeared to beryllium listening astatine magnitude — though some sides declined to remark connected precisely what was said.

“When it came to that 1 individual, I astir didn’t stay. I was filled with rage,” Crowchild said. “I was going to spell location due to the fact that I didn’t privation to bring immoderate negativity to my people. However, I did consult with adjacent radical and advisers and, based connected feedback, I stayed, considering that visibility is cardinal and diplomacy is important."

Aware that “no Indigenous practice was determination astatine the time,” Crowchild said helium “prayed to my creator” and “really thought of those suffering astir the world” successful choosing to talk to Trump.

"Instead of war, I take peace," helium said.

Crowchild said that, successful summation to Trump, helium greeted different arriving satellite leaders and "tried to punctual each 1 of them to effort to beryllium a bully person and support our h2o for aboriginal generations.”

“I spoke for my elders," Crowchild said, noting that helium spoke of promoting bid and “protecting h2o for aboriginal generations" and tried to “say arsenic overmuch arsenic I could, arsenic wisely arsenic I could, portion representing with grant and dignity. Whether helium listened oregon not, clip volition tell.”

He said that, ultimately, the U.S. president is “just different person."

“Some would accidental he’s a horrible person, and we each cognize galore reasons," Crowchild said. "I stood taller than him arsenic arrogant Tsuut’ina Isgiya.”

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Weissert reported from Banff, Canada.