In the last week, we were heartbroken to learn that the bodies of 215 children were discovered in an unmarked, mass grave site outside of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC. These children were students at this school, taken from their homes and families. Some of the children were as young as three years old. Our heart goes out to the families of these children, their ancestors, and the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc First Nations.
Canada’s legacy of settler colonialism, and the atrocities at Kamloops Indian Residential School, are still coming to light. There are no words to express the grief we feel for the loss of these children and the impact the residential school system has had on indigenous communities across Canada.
We call for the full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action as a necessary step toward reckoning with the impact of colonization and the residential school system on First Nations people.