74. We call upon the federal government to work with the churches and Aboriginal community leaders to inform the families of children who died at residential schools of the child’s burial location, and to respond to families’ wishes for appropriate commemoration ceremonies and markers, and reburial in home communities where requested.
This call to action is necessary to make amends for the past treatment of Canada’s aboriginal school children. The scale of cultural genocide is not yet known and this recommendation is imperative to understand the effect colonialism had on the First Nations in the 20th century. This is important for all Canadians because it would show grieving aboriginal families that we care about their history, we care about the quality of their lives, and respect their cultural traditions.
Further Readings:
National Post – “This is somebody’s young kid”: The unmarked graves of Brandon’s residential school” <http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-secret-graves-of-brandon-residential-school-773123
The Star – Finding Canada’s lost residential school children <http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/06/07/finding-canadas-lost-residential-schoolchildren.html>
Compiled by: Hilary Smith