Statement on the Tragic Discovery of a Mass Grave at Former Kamloops Residential School

Painful truths of Canada’s system of assimilation and genocidal policies which attempt to “kill the Indian in the child” have again come to light.   

We grieve for the four to six thousand children, including the 215 recently discovered, who did not make it home. We stand with all Survivors, their families and loved ones who have been and continue to be impacted by systemic oppression and violence.    

The policies of forced displacement of Indigenous peoples from family, community, land, language, knowledge and culture have direct links to the loss of biodiversity and the climate change crisis we are facing today.   

These policies have also led to a high percentage of Indigenous children in foster care (52.2 percent) and an over-representation of Indigenous peoples in the federal prison system (30.4 percent), despite the fact that Indigenous peoples make up only 4.9 percent of the national population.  

We call for accountability, justice, and the ongoing search for truths. With truth, we can continue our journey of healing and reconciliation.  

We ask that the federal government follow through on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action, fundamentally, Actions 71 to 76 which call for missing children and burial information.  

We stand in solidarity with Indigenous Nations as they work to revitalize relationships and assert their inherent rights and responsibilities for their territories and communities. Our main message is of hope as we work to address the system of colonialism and its wide-reaching ripple effects.   

Our collective path forward involves advancing transformational change through Ethical Space to heal relationships between ourselves, non-human beings, and our natural world. This includes centring Indigenous leadership in conservation, including the support of the establishment of IPCAs and advancing Guardians programs so that we see the next generations thrive and carry this movement onward.  

For additional resources please see below:  

Indian Residential School Survivor Society Emergency Crisis Line:  1 866 925 4419   

Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program: https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/residential-schools   

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: nctr.ca   

Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action: http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf  

       - The CRP Leadership Circle