May 27, 2022
The end of May marks the one-year anniversary of the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. The event, which had sent shock waves across the country, led several communities to want to undertake their own research. A year later, where are they?
To take stock of the situation, Le Devoir conducted research to find out whether ground-penetrating radar surveys or preliminary steps have been publicly announced since the last year. Each dot on the map represents an ancient site.
According to the count, at least 36 communities across the country have conducted or initiated research on the sites of former Indian residential schools.
Discoveries have been recorded at 11 sites, including the most recent north of Regina, Saskatchewan, where the George Gordon First Nation says they have found 14 potential unmarked graves. The toll now stands at nearly 1,800 confirmed or potential unmarked graves found across the country.
About thirty communities have started preparatory steps. Some have received funding from the federal government to carry out investigations on the ground, while others are carrying out consultations to make a decision on the matter — which is notably the case for all the residential schools in Quebec which were managed by the Church.
For 72 boarding schools, no announcement concerning possible steps has been made. The experts consulted by The duty qualify these data, however, by specifying that some communities do not wish to make their procedures public.
There were six establishments that aimed to “kill the Indian in the child” in the province. There were also four federal homes for the Inuit and two non-denominational homes in Fort George and Mistassini.
So far, only one community in the province has received funding from the federal government for potential ground penetrating radar surveys. However, some others could also be preparing to make the request. Status report.
Sept-Iles boarding school
“We are moving forward with caution and benevolence”: this is how Jean-Claude Therrien Pinette, head of the political cabinet of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, summarizes the current state of the process in the Innu community of the North Shore.
For the moment, the Innu community is the only one in the province to have received funding from the federal government. The sum of $ 715,000, obtained through the Community Support Fund for Missing Children in Residential Schools, could be used to carry out consultations between residents, then could finance the resources necessary for ground-penetrating radar searches.
Before undertaking any action whatsoever, consultations must always be concluded. The latter are currently taking place with former residents in order to collect their testimonies and memories of the Notre-Dame de Sept-Îles boarding school, which was in operation for 20 years.
“We try to corroborate, through the memories of former residents, information to justify the conduct of research,” says Mr. Therrien Pinette. The consultation has already begun with the former residents of Uashat and Pessamit, then will continue with those of Natashquan.
“We go there community by community to meet the survivors. They are the ones who will track us to find out if we should carry out research, ”he pleads.
Fort George Boarding Schools
The discoveries in Kamloops have rekindled old wounds for the Cree community of Chisasibi. Fort George Island, which is near the community, was home to the first two boarding schools in Quebec: St Philip’s Anglican Boarding School and Fort George Roman Catholic Boarding School, which opened in 1937.
Mandy Gull-Masty, Grand Chief of the Cree Nation of Quebec, was elected shortly after the discoveries in July. Upon taking office, she announced her intention to work with communities that were affected by residential schools.
“It was a difficult year, because [les découvertes] brought back a lot of emotions and a whole history on the table. It had a big impact on the [anciens] boarders,” she says.
A consultation process with former residents was then put in place. “These meetings were very difficult, because it was not only the stories that the students experienced, but also the stories of the things that they saw. [Après Kamloops]it was really a moment of truth for the residents,” she recalls.
The process, which was unfortunately delayed due to the pandemic, is about to be completed. The community plans to make a public announcement at the end of June as to whether it will conduct ground-penetrating radar searches.
La Tuque boarding school
Voices were raised last summer for the site of the former La Tuque boarding school, which mainly housed children from the Cree nation, to be excavated. An early childhood center (CPE) is now installed on said land.
Questioned by Le Devoir, Christiane Morin, director of the CPE and owner of the land, confides that “there has not been much development” since last summer. She says she is always ready to authorize field research if the request is made by the authorities.
Ms. Morin also states that the last communication she received dates from last fall. The Grand Chief of the Cree Nation of Quebec, Mandy Gull-Masty, told Le Devoir that “the file” is still ongoing.
Amos boarding school
In the Algonquin community of Pikogan, near Amos, they say they are ready to request research on the site of the former Saint-Marc-de-Figuery boarding school. Joan Wylde, the councilor for the Abitibiwinni First Nation, warns, however, that even if a consensus is reached in Pikogan, the Council will first have to consult the other communities before making an official request — since the boarding school has also taken in Atikamekw children and cries.
“The former residents of Pikogan are ready to do the research and give the ‘go’, but we are waiting for the other communities, so it is not 100% confirmed,” she says.
Her father, Johnny Wylde, who coordinates a group of former boarding school students — and who himself attended boarding school as a child — hopes the case can move forward quickly. “Families call me to ask me when the excavations will be,” he says.
For her part, Joan Wylde is hopeful that other communities will follow suit. “I think they’re going to want to support the Anishinaabe community for research. Because this research, she emphasizes, is “part of the healing process” and can provide answers to families.
“We always pass in front of the boarding school to go to Val-d’Or, we think of everything that could have happened there. [Après] the bodies found in the other boarding schools, one wonders if there could be some there too”.
Pointe-Bleue boarding school
The Pointe-Bleue establishment, north of Roberval, was the last boarding school to close in Quebec, in 1991. The school welcomed mainly Innus, Atikamekw, Algonquins and Crees.
For the moment, discussions are continuing within a working committee. “No decision has yet been made regarding whether or not to carry out excavations,” said Karen Robertson, communications manager for the Kauauitishakanit Takuhimatsheuan community in Mashteuiatsh. She assures that “the population will be the first informed of any orientations”.
The survivors of aboriginal residential schools and their family can also call the hotline National Indian Residential Schools Hotline 1-866-925-4419.