Three years have passed since Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir revealed the discovery of the remains of 215 children who were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This announcement shook the nation and captured global headlines.
Following the news, protests erupted, and the government issued apologies along with substantial funds to investigate alleged burials of residential school children. The aftermath saw the vandalism and burning of nearly 100 churches across Canada in response to the revelations. The Canadian flag flew at half-mast for six months, and the Pope visited Canada to seek forgiveness.
A new holiday, “The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation,” was established. While many are pushing for reconciliation, the pursuit of truth regarding the events at the Kamloops residential school seems to have stalled.
The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc band received $7.9 million for investigating the alleged graves at the residential school site. A ground-penetrating radar survey was conducted by Sarah Beaulieu, who stated that excavation was necessary to confirm her findings.
Despite the years that have passed and the funds allocated, no excavation has taken place. This raises questions about the utilization of the funds if no diggings were conducted. The band claims ongoing investigations but is tight-lipped about their progress or findings. Chief Casimir’s language has shifted as she now refers to the graves as “anomalies,” indicating a lack of actual bodies being discovered.
If the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc band has been conducting research, they likely only corroborated existing claims that no records exist of missing children from the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The absence of missing persons’ reports and the lack of evidence bring into question the alleged mass burials and murders.
In other similar cases where ground-penetrating radar identified potential burials, excavations were carried out but yielded no human remains. The discrepancies between oral history and radar findings suggest inaccuracies in such investigations.
The revelation that no children may be buried at the Kamloops residential school site should be considered a positive development. However, the pursuit of the truth and excavation remains paramount. The federal government’s substantial funding for investigations and the vested interests around this issue raise concerns about the motives behind the ongoing narrative.
Rather than accepting the revelations, some activists are attempting to change the narrative by making unsubstantiated claims. It is essential to challenge such inflammatory statements and push for a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the residential school issue.
The legacy of Canada’s residential schools is a sensitive topic that requires a truthful examination to achieve reconciliation. Only through a rigorous investigation can the country address the historical wounds and move towards healing.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
