Lower Post postpones school demolition ceremony after animal remains found
A ceremony to mark the demolition of a former residential school building in a British Columbia First Nation community has been postponed after animal remains were found by construction workers.
The ceremony in the tiny community of Lower Post near the B. C-Yukon boundary was set for Monday, but the band council said in a statement it cancelled the gathering because of the discovery.
Last April, the federal and B.C. governments announced the construction of a $13.5-million, multipurpose community centre to replace the building many local elders feared as a place where they suffered physical and sexual abuse.
The Daylu Dena Council said Friday a recent outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Yukon and the “trauma” caused by the discovery of the remains led to the decision to put off the ceremony.
The council said the RCMP started an immediate investigation and conducted a forensic analysis of the remains, confirming they were not human.
Premier John Horgan said in a statement the province supports the decision to make the well-being of the community the priority.
“As soon as the community decides when to reschedule this important ceremony, I will be honoured to accept their invitation to attend the demolition of the Lower Post residential school, a building that should have been removed years ago,” he said.
The RCMP's M Division in Yukon says in a statement a forensic anthropologist confirmed the remains to be those of an animal and permitted the construction company to resume its work.
The animal bones were found about 60 to 90 metres from the former residential school building, the statement says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.