Statement For National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

The Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology joins the call for increased funding towards the investigation into missing children and unmarked burials associated with Indian Residential Schools across Canada. The work to investigate these institutions has only just begun and the Canadian Government needs to ensure that proper funding is available for organizations to complete their comprehensive investigations. We echo the voices of the Survivors’ Secretariat and other lead communities in their call for more support and funding.

30 September 2024

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, 2024

The Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology joins the call for increased funding towards the investigation into missing children and unmarked burials associated with Indian Residential Schools across Canada. The work to investigate these institutions has only just begun and the Canadian Government needs to ensure that proper funding is available for organizations to complete their comprehensive investigations. We echo the voices of the Survivors’ Secretariat and other lead communities in their call for more support and funding.

The painful legacy of the Indian Residential School system has had devastating impacts on generations of Indigenous peoples. It is crucial that we prioritize truth, justice, and reconciliation by ensuring that every child who never returned home is acknowledged and properly laid to rest with dignity in a matter determined by their families and communities.

We commend the Government of Canada for taking initial steps in supporting the investigations and providing resources to Indigenous communities. However, the scope and scale of these investigations demand further financial commitment and resources to ensure they are conducted thoroughly, respectfully, and in collaboration with impacted communities. It is clear to our group that the search for missing children and investigations of unmarked graves will take decades to resolve and not the short timeline indicated by the funding structure implemented by the federal government. 

We ask that you join us and the Survivor’s Secretariat in action on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We strongly urge you to advocate for increased funding in the upcoming budget and parliamentary sessions to support:

  1. Comprehensive Investigations: Ensuring that every site suspected of containing unmarked graves is thoroughly investigated using state-of-the-art methods and technologies.
  2. Community Support and Healing: Providing adequate resources to support the mental health and well-being of survivors, intergenerational survivors, and affected Indigenous communities by allowing for local and national gatherings.
  3. Education and Awareness: Promoting public education and awareness initiatives about the history and ongoing impacts of the residential school system, fostering a deeper understanding of Indigenous histories and cultures.
  4. Collaboration with Indigenous Leadership: Ensuring that Indigenous communities lead the process of investigation, commemoration, and healing, respecting their traditional knowledge and protocols.
  5. Commemoration: Allow and support impacted communities to honour the children who never returned home in a manner respectful to their beliefs.

By prioritizing these efforts, Canada can take significant steps towards reconciliation, healing historical wounds, and rebuilding trust with Indigenous peoples. 

Go to https://survivorssecretariat.ca/ for an editable letter to send to your local MP to advocate for restored funding for IRS investigations. To find your local MP visit www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/search.