Statement on the 215 First Nations children found buried at former B.C. residential school
Today we mourn with our Indigenous colleagues, students and everyone impacted by the discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous children at a residential school in operation until 1978 in Kamloops, B.C.
We will take this time to remember the loss felt by the more than 80,0000 children and survivors who were stolen from their families, who lost their culture and language, who were systematically abused, and the many who died from tuberculosis and other ailments due to poor treatment and living conditions in the schools.
This tragic discovery reminds us that colonial legacy continues to impact Indigenous children across Canada who are disproportionately overrepresented in the child welfare system, including infants removed immediately after birth under “hospital alert” policies. As well, we are reminded of the underfunding of First Nation education and other disparities including safe housing and access to drinking water. The lowering of flags is meaningless if we do not support Indigenous peoples to end systemic racism.
Our community in the Ryerson School of Journalism would like to express our deep empathy and solidarity with the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, as well as with all Indigenous communities across these lands.
Indigenous journalists across Canada have played a vital role in sharing many of the stories that have grown our understanding of the horrific impacts of colonial rule on their communities. As they and other settler journalists, storytellers, and news professionals continue to shed light on these histories, we will continue to play our part in addressing the historical record, especially in service of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #86.
RSJ professor Karyn Pugliese will be leading a safe space for Indigenous students in the Faculty of Communication & Design to share their concerns and experiences in relation to the colonial legacy of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop and the continued impact of government policies on Indigenous communities. The safe space will be held from 4-5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Please email sonya.fatah@torontomu.ca for a link to the Zoom session.
We would also like to draw your attention to the following resources:
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society (external link) ’s 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
- For those in BC, KUU-US Crisis Line (external link) : toll-free 1-800-588-8717.
- Direct Youth Line: 250-723-2040
- Direct Adult Line: 250-723-4050
- The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada at hopeforwellness.ca (external link) .
Ryerson’s Centre for Student Development & Counselling also offers free confidential counselling services for those in need and all Ryerson students can access 24/7 mobile counselling or crisis support with Keep.meSafe, a student mental health support service. You can speak to a Master's-level trained counsellor free and confidentiality at any time by dialing 1-844-451-9700. Information on counselling at Ryerson is available here: https://www.torontomu.ca/student-wellbeing/counselling/.