(OTTAWA) A special official tasked with advising the government on unmarked Indigenous graves says some landowners are refusing to allow residential school survivors access to their property.
Kimberly Murray testified before a committee of senators on Tuesday about her role and the key concerns she says she has heard from Indigenous communities.
Mme Murray said residential school survivors need better access to land, adding that some landowners have refused to allow access to their properties “even to do a ceremony, let alone search the land.”
She said her office had to write letters and meet with landowners to try to convince them to change their minds.
Mme Murray did not provide specific examples, but told senators that some landlords have campers parked “above” where children are allegedly buried.
She lamented that there is no law in place to prevent this practice and argued that these lands must be protected.