Statement on the Discovery of Remains at Marieval Indian Residential

751 children. Children from families who were never informed of their children’s whereabouts. Children who were never given respectful burials. Children from families who were never given the dignity of closure. Children from communities that suffered through perpetual grief with no answers and no explanations.

We should be ashamed. Not just for a past that allowed this to happen. We should be ashamed of the present that dishonours the thousands of victims and survivors of residential schools by not learning their, and thus, our entire history. We should be sorry that we are ‘shocked’ and ‘surprised’ because we were always amply warned.  

CRRF would like to take this time to express its grief, sympathy, and solidarity with the survivors and victims of the Marieval Indian Residential School, the residents of Cowesses First Nation in Saskatchewan and all the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples who have suffered in the grasp of residentials school system across Canada. We must use this sad and tragic time to learn and be better as individuals and as a country.