FORT MCMURRAY (660 NEWS) – Flags have been lowered and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo will hold a moment of remembrance Monday in response to the tragic discovery of hundreds of remains at a former residential school in BC.
Last weekend, the remains of 215 children were discovered at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, which operated from 1890 to 1969.
On May 31 at 2:15 p.m., RMWB staff will pause services and activities out of respect for the children and their families.
Mayor Don Scott has issued the following statement:
“When we discuss truth and reconciliation, it’s important to note that truth comes first. For reconciliation to take place we must first acknowledge the truth.
“This week in Kamloops we saw the terrible truth of residential schools. This is a truth that has been known in Indigenous communities for over 100 years and it has impacted every Indigenous person in Canada.
“The RMWB is committed to our relationship with Indigenous peoples. They are integral to our region and a fundamental part of our communities. Today, my heart is broken for them, and all they have lost. But sadness and grief isn’t enough.
“We must do better. We must find the truth, acknowledge the truth, and then seek reconciliation with those who have been harmed.
“The RMWB has lowered our flags to recognize 215 children lost. This is only a symbolic act, but I hope it compels all of us to turn the grief we have felt this week into action.
“This week, and going forward, I will continue to do my best to seek truth and reconciliation by truly listening to Indigenous people, including those who are my friends and neighbours. I will continue to work to learn and understand the atrocities of the cultural genocide they have endured and how this has impacted their families, communities and Nations.
“I encourage residents of this region to also do this work to learn and understand. These are some good places to start: rmwb.ca/trc and nctr.ca.
The journey to truth and reconciliation is far from over. In fact, in many ways it has only just begun. But every journey begins with the first few steps.
This is our opportunity to take a step.”
Meantime, Ron Quintal, President of the Fort McKay Métis Nation issued this statement:
“All Indigenous people across Canada are in shock this week. On behalf of the Fort McKay Métis Nation, I extend my most heartfelt prayers for peace to the families and extended families of the dead, and to the communities from where they came.
“The discovery of the remains of 215 children who died at a residential school raises many troubling questions. Some of the questions that need to be answered include how they died, whether families were duly informed, and why they were buried anonymously and perhaps unceremoniously.
“I believe I can speak for many Indigenous people, especially residential school survivors, when I call for authorities to demand records and determine culpability. This is a heinous and an inhumane tragedy, one that must not be forgotten or left to disappear with time. The role of government, churches and individuals must be investigated, and accountability sought, regardless of whether the decision makers are alive, or dead. This discovery should also necessitate a forensic investigation of all residential school sites. Healing won’t come without full knowledge and justice.”
