Canada: Trudeau 'saddened' after discovery of 751 unmarked graves at residential school

The chief of an Indigenous nation in Canada said that they have found 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former Marieval residential school for Indigenous children. The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his media statement said that he was saddened to know about the remains of the children in the now defunct school. He recognized that these findings would only deepen the pain that families, survivors, and all Indigenous peoples and communities are already feeling. 

“I am terribly saddened to learn that the remains of children had been found in unmarked graves near the former Marieval (Cowessess) Residential School in Saskatchewan. My heart breaks for the Cowessess First Nation, and for all Indigenous communities across Canada."

Discovery of unmarked graves at the former residential school

Trudeau called the discoveries in British Columbia and Saskatchewan provinces "a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face in the country". Justin Trudeau pointed out that Canada needed to acknowledge its history of racism against indigenous peoples in order to "build a better future". 

“The findings in Marieval and Kamloops are part of a larger tragedy. They are a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that Indigenous peoples have faced – and continue to face – in this country. And together, we must acknowledge this truth, learn from our past, and walk the shared path of reconciliation, so we can build a better future.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today the pain and grief Indigenous communities are feeling is "Canada's responsibility to bear."He said that the government will continue to provide Indigenous communities across the country with the funding and resources. He added that though they cannot bring back those who were lost but they will  forever honour their memory.

An indigenous nation in Canada said that it has discovered 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan. A statement from the Cowessess First Nation and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations, which represents Saskatchewan’s First Nations, said that "the number of unmarked graves will be the most significantly substantial to date in Canada", according to AP. Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, were found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

IMAGE: AP