(Quebec) A year after the discovery of remains of indigenous children in Kamloops, the Cree community of Chisasibi, in northern Quebec, announces that it will conduct radar excavations on the island of Fort George, which housed Anglican residential schools and Catholics until 1980.
Posted at 11:50 a.m.
The Cree community confirmed Tuesday that it will go ahead with radar searches on the sidelines of National Aboriginal Day. The research will be conducted at five sites on the island of Fort George, where two of the largest residential schools in Quebec were located. The First Nation’s decision comes after a long process of consultation with survivors.
“We will conduct this research on the ground, armed with the knowledge that the answers will be difficult for many,” said community leader Daisy House. “Children never came home. Where they are is a sacred place, it is up to us to honor their memory,” she added.
Chisasibi thus becomes the first Aboriginal community in Quebec to confirm that it will conduct excavations on its territory. Several others are still continuing to consult with their members. This is the case, for example, of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, on the North Shore. There were a dozen residential schools and federal homes in Quebec.
The Cree community was relocated from the island of Fort George in 1979. The area was not maintained after the relocation, which will complicate searches, Chief House said. “We know that there are certain sites where graves and cemeteries are located, but there will be several challenges on the ground,” she added. Efforts will be concentrated in this direction on five specific sites.
Appeal to Religious Congregations
The Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL), Ghislain Picard, also urged the religious congregations that operated residential schools to provide access to all of their archives to facilitate the research process. Chief House stressed that congregations should take advantage of Pope Francis’ visit to Quebec this summer to commit to reconciliation.
The Fort George boarding schools, which were among the first built in Quebec, welcomed Cree children, but also from elsewhere, while other establishments were being built. This is particularly the case for the Innus of Mashteuiatsh, in Lac-Saint-Jean, and for Aboriginal children in northern Ontario. The Anglican boarding school operated from 1933 to 1975 and the Catholic boarding school from 1937 to 1981.
The discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia a year ago caused anger and consternation across the country. Several communities have in turn chosen to carry out radar searches in search of the truth.