Halton Regional Council calling on Canadian government to search all former residential school sites
Published June 28, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Halton Regional Council recently unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Government of Canada to authorize a search of all former residential school sites for additional unmarked and mass graves.
Regional Council unanimously carried a resolution from Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan which also called on the Canadian Government to proclaim a national day of mourning for all Canadians as well as continue their efforts to implement the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and specifically, Actions 71-76 in regard to Missing Children and Burial Information.
This unanimous resolution follows Canada’s long history of mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples and communities which includes separating children from their families and sending them to residential schools.
Recently, the remains of 215 Indigenous children were discovered in a mass unmarked grave at the Kamloops Indian Residential School located in Kamloops, British Columbia and 751 were discovered at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.
Halton Regional Council is calling for a copy of their resolution be sent to Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Halton Members of Parliament, Halton Members of the Provincial Parliament, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Six Nations of the Grand River, the Credit River Metis Council, the Grand River Metis Council and the Tungasuvvingat Inuit, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton and the Town of Oakville.
Halton Regional Council also recently approved various actions to build relationships with Indigenous Peoples, as part of the Indigenous Relationship Building Initiative.
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“Endorsing this initiative to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples based on cultural understanding, empathy and respect is an essential part of Halton’s responsibility for reconciliation and commemoration,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr.
“Indigenous Peoples have been connected to these lands for generations and have helped build the foundation of our communities that we enjoy today. These actions are a step in the right direction, but we know that more work still needs to be done and I look forward to continuing these efforts together.”
For more information on Halton’s Indigenous Relations Initiative, click here.
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