Canada’s shameful history of marginalization exposed again.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada said Thursday investigators have found more than 600 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children — a discovery that follows last month’s report of 215 bodies found at another school.

The bodies were discovered at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 where the Cowessess First Nation is now located, about 85 miles (135 kilometers) east of Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan.

A search with ground-penetrating radar resulted in 751 ’’hits,″ indicating that at least 600 bodies were buried in the area, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess. The radar operators have said their results could have a margin of error of 10%.

“We want to make sure when we tell our story that we’re not trying to make numbers sound bigger than they are,” Delorme said. “I like to say over 600, just to be assured.”

He said the search continues and the radar hits will be assessed by a technical team and the numbers will be verified in coming weeks.

Delorme said that the graves were marked at one time, but that the Roman Catholic Church that operated the school had removed the markers.

On Twitter, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “terribly saddened” to learn of the latest discovery.

“My heart breaks for the Cowessess First Nation following the discovery of Indigenous children buried at the former Marieval Residential School,” he said, adding that ’’we will tell the truth about these injustices.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the entire province mourns the discovery of the unmarked graves.

Don Bolen, Archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan, posted a letter to the Cowessess First Nation on the archdiocese’s website.

“The news is overwhelming and I can only imagine the pain and waves of emotion that you and your people are experiencing right now,” Bolen wrote.

Bolen said two years ago he apologized to the Cowessess people for the “failures and sins of Church leaders in the past.”

“I know that apologies seem a very small step as the weight of past suffering comes into greater light, but I extend that apology again, and pledge to do what we can to turn that apology into meaningful concrete acts - including assisting in accessing information that will help to provide names and information about those buried in unmarked graves,” he said.

Florence Sparvier, 80, said she attended the Marieval Indian Residential School.

“The nuns were very mean to us,” she said. “We had to learn how to be Roman Catholic. We couldn’t say our own little blessings.”

Nuns at the school were “condemning about our people” and the pain inflicted continues generations later, Sparvier said.

“We learned how to not like who we were,” she said. “That has gone on and it’s still going on.″

Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, were found buried on the site of what was once Canada’s largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

Following that discovery, Pope Francis expressed his pain over the discovery and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on “this sad affair.” But he didn’t offer the apology sought by First Nations and by the Canadian government.

“An apology is one stage in the way of a healing journey,” Delorme said.

“This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations,” said Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations in Saskatchewan. He said he expects more graves will be found on residential school grounds across Canada.

“We will not stop until we find all the bodies,” he said.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools, the majority of them run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society.

The Canadian government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages.

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Egzoset said:

Euh...

Seriously, when i read the announced topic it just didn't sound like this thread was necessarily expected to focus on the Kamloops aboriginal children of British Columbia, certainly not because their deaths are anything even remote of meaningless, on the contrary of course. The thing is, some of our most shameful memories get lost with the passage of time, only couple generations suffice for young persons to re-discover such stories with dismay. Better late than never, nonetheless was it really mandatory to find solid proof simply to listen and believe??

This double event illustrates how large parts of the country could remain totally "blind" to similar marginalization, this time performed in recent years (by live politicians & friend$) as i've often tried to bring related topics under attention myself, actually. I'm thinking of Justin Trudeau's Cannabis Act, followed by the even less reasonable reform of François Legault raising so-called "legal" age to 21 arguing it's to save "brains", while in fact i find that's basically intended to make sure our SQdC monopoly wouldn't risk to feed "illicit" resellers dealing with that same 18-21 group, now potentially criminalized more than ever and the "visible minorities" 3~4 times as often as the "average" citizen.

If we check on Québec's Bloc Pot web site it's written the law (past 14) accomodates parents who chose to educate/prepare their whole family about alcohol consumption that has no "medical"/"recreative" equivalent unless one agrees it makes a great disinfectant... Which ain't to compare with PTSD "medication" (ref.: Cpl. Ronald J. Francis, 1971-2014) vs seeking a THC-centric buzz to celebrate Canada day, with a delay.

There again i'll bet the name rings no bells in many cases.

Anyway my point revolves around the appearance of contrast when also reading that educating one's own natural kid to cannabis can send a parent to prison for up to 14 years if everyone in the "legal" realm continues to fail our country, one after the other, not to mention both levels of government have our virtual communities on their next electoralist menu it seems. Trudeau to manage "terrorism", Legault to "protect" public institutions (starting with parliamentarism...) via police budget adapted to cyber-criminality: 2 slightly different justifications but 1 same goal, to tighten up their grip although both the provincial and federal Charts of Rights in Québec garanty freedom of "association".

M'well instead i garanty some trojan horse reaching far beyond their announced agendas, including perhaps special attention for pro-cannabis people attempting to organize, via additional powers...



Death always been an efficient/powerful tool in Hollywood. Kamloops aboriginal children of British Columbia died twice, in their mind 1st then in their flesh; but that was quite a few generations ago and these days politicians ain't short of ideal accessorial groups to stigmatize (specially in a pre-electoral context). Who's aware that mass media & "social" forums altogether eventually happen to carry such mesmerizing symbols in a self-serving manner; for example our national TV network failing to warn vulnerable/unsuspecting audiences that the "science" of Trudeau would rely on decades of "addictionist" therapy expertise conveniently juxtaposed to family medecine (possibly with hints of scientology "treatment"). Etc., etc.

Please revisit thread after the next wave of teenagers has turned into adults, 21+ ones in my province, that is.

Bonne St-Jean!! View attachment 4929869

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hanimmal said:

https://apnews.com/article/canada-67da8a8af88efc91e6ffc64630796ec9
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CunningCanuk said:

There’s going to be many thousands more across the country as they search more of these school locations

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DIY-HP-LED said:

I saw the other day the Americans are looking for graves now too. Crowding native kids into residential schools killed many with diseases like tuberculosis and flu alone.

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The US Will Look For Unmarked Graves At Former Native American Boarding Schools

"It won't undo the heartbreak and loss we feel. But only by acknowledging the past can we work toward a future that we're all proud to embrace," Sec. Deb Haaland said.

www.buzzfeednews.com

Ozumoz66 said:

Was by to see my Native friend and was encouraged to view "We were children" available on Prime. The term endure stands out in the review below, as their suffering is not something they're about to overcome anytime soon - lots of continuing sadness and sorrow - yet optimism and positivity. I've yet to see the documentary but will soon.

We Were Children (2012) ⭐ 7.7 | Drama

1h 28m

m.imdb.com

For over 130 years till 1996, more than 100,000 of Canada's First Nations children were legally required to attend government-funded schools run by various Christian faiths. There were 80 of these 'residential schools' across the country. Most children were sent to faraway schools that separated them from their families and traditional land. These children endured brutality, physical hardship, mental degradation, and the complete erasure of their culture. The schools were part of a wider program of assimilation designed to integrate the native population into 'Canadian society.' These schools were established with the express purpose 'To kill the Indian in the child.' Told through their own voices, 'We Were Children' is the shocking true story of two such children: Glen Anaquod and Lyna Hart.
—EV Staff

It is time for a song by William Prince from Manitoba. It's call Spark. Lyrics include " The ashes of lost love makes it hard to breathe." Metaphorically powerful.

Be kind one to another.

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Fogdog said:

I miss the connection.

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Ozumoz66 said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/church-residential-school-compensation-1.6082935

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printer said:

The kids have a habit of burning down buildings. But you know, we will just build them up again.

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Ozumoz66 said:

Yeah, and the white adults have a habit of bringing their vehicles to or near the reservation and burning them. Then report it stolen and blame the Natives. All the while insurance pays for it and falsehoods divide the people even further.

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Ozumoz66 said:

Yeah, and the white adults have a habit of bringing their vehicles to or near the reservation and burning them. Then report it stolen and blame the Natives. All the while insurance pays for it and falsehoods divide the people even further.

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printer said:

Never heard of this before. Guess they take a bus back.

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hanimmal said:

That's how it is done in Detroit too.


Or just have a unscrupulous buddy follow you.

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printer said:

How would you explain you and your buddy driving there and getting one vehicle torched? I do not buy this being a regular occurrence.

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