Trudeau confronts Canada's failure of indigenous people in U.N. speech

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday admitted Canada had failed its indigenous people and told the United Nations his government would do better to improve the lives of aboriginals and achieve reconciliation.

Trudeau used his speech to the U.N. General Assembly to frankly acknowledge the dark history of Canada's colonization as one of "humiliation, neglect and abuse" and promised to do more to help the nation's 1.4 million indigenous people.