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“This was a crime against humanity. There must be a full accountability for these horrendous deaths. This can’t be just studied and investigated. Those responsible must be identified and their guilt exposed.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (31 May 2021) — On Thursday, May 27, 2021, Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation reported that the remains of 215 children were found at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) grieves for the children, for their families, and all Indigenous people affected by this tragic discovery.
“We are devastated by the discovery and our thoughts are with the survivors, the families of the victims, the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, and Indigenous people across the country,” said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. “We are also furious at the people and the system that allowed this to happen. There must be accountability for this monstrous crime."
Brown further noted that "the federal government is only committing to some of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report. One of the shocking aspects of the federal government response is that they are spending millions of dollars fighting survivors of the residential school system in court. That sort of perverse action has to stop now!”
“There’s nothing for the federal government to deliberate over,” said NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer, Bert Blundon. “Calls to Action 71 to 76 on missing children and burial information provide a clear roadmap on what action needs to be taken. And Indigenous leaders and communities across the country are ready to take the initiative on these projects. They just need the funding.”
NUPGE’s land acknowledgment states that “we dedicate ourselves, as a union, to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples in a spirit of reconciliation and striving for justice.” NUPGE calls on the federal government to provide immediate funding to launch investigations into all residential school sites and to also commit funding to properly honour the victims buried at the sites. The crimes committed at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School is not an isolated incident.
Colonialism still occurring in the present day
Land acknowledgments are being read more frequently at the start of events. Indeed, NUPGE starts each meeting by reading NUPGE’s land acknowledgment. But often land acknowledgments can come across as procedural or something that treats Indigenous trauma as a thing of the past.
The discovery of the mass grave demonstrates the clear need to keep Indigenous people and their ongoing struggles a part of our everyday dialogue. Though these crimes were committed in the past, we continue to see rampant human rights abuses today. The impact of the Canada’s Indian residential school system and colonialism continue to the present.
To this day, the Catholic church refuses to turn over many relevant documents that could help survivors on their healing journey and in their legal cases. And the Pope has not apologized for the role the played church played in committing crimes against Indigenous children, their families, and their communities.
Situation needs action, not just statements of mourning
CTV News interviewed Cindy Blackstock, the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. Blackstock stated that, “as early as 1904, the government of Canada knew that its unequal provision of health care funding was contributing to the death rates of children in these schools at a rate of about 25 per cent. It was in the media and everything.”
All Canadians and people living in Canada need to be educated on the crimes committed by the Canadian government, the churches, and all parties involved in running residential schools. All sites should be protected and investigated with the direct involvement of Indigenous communities to ensure investigations are carried out efficiently and with respect.
“This was a crime against humanity. There must be a full accountability for these horrendous deaths. This can’t be just studied and investigated. Those responsible must be identified and their guilt exposed,” emphasized President Brown.
Federal government must stop acting against the 94 Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report
NUPGE also calls on all levels of government to work together with indigenous communities on these investigations so they can be completed in a timely manner. Furthermore, NUPGE calls for the halt of the destruction of historical documents pertaining to residential schools. In December 2020, NUPGE President Larry Brown sent a letter to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, David Lametti, urging him to halt the destruction of persons of interest (POI) reports collected in regard to St. Anne’s Indian Residential School.
Historical documents are crucial both for healing and for settlement cases for the survivors of the residential school system. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was told that only 50 deaths had occurred at Kamloops Indian Residential School (CBC News). Records are evidence that officials lied about the number of deaths and the maltreatment of children that occurred at the schools.
At the time of sending the letter, the Canadian government had spent $3,231,000 on legal costs against survivors of St. Anne’s. According to CTV News, the government is still fighting residential school settlements in court. This is unacceptable for a government that claims to be embracing reconciliation.
Crisis support available
As reported by CBC News, crisis support is available for former students and Indigenous people affected by the discovery of the graves.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. Access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866 925-4419.
Within B.C., the KUU-US Crisis Line Society provides a First Nations and Indigenous crisis line that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's toll-free and can be reached at 1-800-588-8717, or online at kuu-uscrisisline.com.