Catholic order that staffed Kamloops school agrees to share archives with Indigenous communities
The congregation of Catholic women that staffed the Kamloops residential school for decades has reached an agreement with the Royal BC Museum to make its records more accessible to Indigenous communities, including the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc First Nation.
The Sisters of St. Ann and the museum signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday that they said aims to “provide enhanced access” to its private archives to the museum.
“We grieve with all of those who have lost children, classmates, ancestors in the school,” said Sister Marie Zarowny, president and board chair of the Sisters of St. Ann.
“Essentially we’re saying…we recommit ourselves today,” Zarowny added.
The congregation said Wednesday it had previously turned over its records from the four residential schools where its members taught, including Kamloops, to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.
“We’ve realized they haven’t been accessible there,” Zarowny said.
“We will go through everything again and make sure we didn’t miss anything the first time.”
BC Archives staff will review the records, working alongside the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia, who will act as a “neutral third party” to increase transparency.
Acting head of archives Genevieve Weber is reviewing other records from Kamloops, including from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who ran the residential school.
Weber said while she understood the congregation’s records weren’t extensive, they would “certainly add to the overall understanding of the school and add a significant layer of context.“
According to the congregation, those archival records include correspondence, photographs, financial records and accounts of daily life.
First Nations have called for the Sisters of St. Ann to release any and all records it retains after the discovery last month of the potential unmarked graves of up to 215 children, some as young as three, on the grounds of the former residential school.
While Zarowny said the records included mention of child illness and death, she indicated she believed those names were included in the 51 already recorded on the memorial register of the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation.
Likewise, while Weber said she’d come across records mentioning student deaths in the materials from the Oblates, every mention has been of a child already named on that list.
The Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc have previously said they believe the remains of the 215 children discovered using ground-penetrating radar are in addition to the 51 children on the register.
CTV News has reached out to the Nation for comment on the agreement.
The MOU is scheduled to take effect July 1.
The Sisters of St. Ann taught at the Kamloops Indian Residential School from 1890 to 1891, and 1893 to 1970 and also provided child care and nursing services.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.