Chief of First Nation where graves of 215 children found grateful for outpouring of support, expects long journey ahead
The chief of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation on Wednesday expressed her “deepest gratitude” for the outpouring of support the nation has received from across the country and around the world.
Chief Rosanne Casimir, who held a news conference to provide an update less than three weeks after the discovery of the probable graves of 215 children on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, said there had been a “whirlwind of activity” as communities begin to grieve.
“We thank you for your condolences, your support, donations, and especially for your…outpouring of love,” she said. “We stand strong because of you.”
The top doctor for the First Nations Health Authority, who also spoke at the news conference, urged those impacted both directly and indirectly by the discovery of what she called “the removal of a (bandage) from a septic wound” to slow down.
“We’ve all felt a need to respond to the hurt, to the anger, and the deep need to be with people to share our pain and express our emotions,” Dr. Shannon McDonald said.
“Please take the time to heal and reflect, and to pace yourself for the journey ahead and look after each other."
Both Casimir and McDonald indicated that while members of the public were still welcome to visit the memorial in Kamloops, they cautioned against unnecessary travel and gatherings based on the fact the community is just now beginning to receive its second doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We need to be safe and stay local,” McDonald said.
Casimir also briefly addressed the final report the nation expects to make public after they receive it from the organization or company undertaking the survey work near the school using ground-penetrating radar.
“Given its significance, you can understand that there are a number of steps and due diligence that’s needed,” Casimir said.
“This is only the beginning and we want you to be a part of this journey with us,” she added.
According to the Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, there are over 30 First Nations communities whose children were forcibly sent to Kamloops from 1890 to 1978.
The National Student Memorial, part of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, identified 51 children who died at the Kamloops school.
The chief has indicated she believes these 215 children to be in addition to those 51.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.