‘Seems to be the will to hide the real truth’

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This article was published 21/03/2024 (925 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A northern Manitoba First Nation hopes the federal government will change its mind and continue to fund the search for unmarked graves of children who went to residential schools and never returned.

Chief David Monias of Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake) said his community is ready to have the International Commission on Missing Persons help with the search, but the federal government hasn’t provided money for it.

“Unmarked graves are really crime scenes,” Monias said on Thursday.

“We need funding and support. We want the (commission) involved. They have the expertise in looking for mass graves and identifying remains for a specific group of people. They are not there to take it over. They are not invested into Canada’s agenda.

“There still seems to be the will to hide the real truth.”

Monias said he hopes renewed funding would also cover the cost of exhuming remains and doing DNA tests to connect them with their present-day relatives.

Monias was one of the First Nation leaders, along with executive members of the commission, who joined NDP MP Niki Ashton, the party’s deputy critic for Indigenous services, to call on the Liberal government to fund communities across the country that are trying to conduct searches at former residential school sites.

Ashton said current funding under a federal program to help Indigenous communities search for unmarked graves is due to run out in 2025.

The Liberal government hasn’t promised to add money to the pot.

“First Nations like Pimicikamak have been clear for three years that they are ready to move forward with searches of residential school sites in their areas, but the Liberals haven’t been there to support them,” Ashton said in a statement.

“We call on the Liberals to renew this essential funding in the next federal budget.”

Manitoba’s senior federal cabinet minister, Dan Vandal, could not be reached for comment.

Kathryne Bomberger, director-general of the commission, said it hopes the federal government will continue to pay for the searches.

The commission, which is based in The Hague and is the world’s leading human rights and rule of law organization that assists governments in addressing missing persons issues, released an interim report asking for the government to continue funding searches.

“From what we’ve seen, the (Indigenous) communities are doing amazing work,” Bomberger said.

“We’ve been doing this work for 27 years and in 40 countries. We do this work… it’s not unusual for states to look to (us) for help.”

Sheila North, the commission’s Canada program manager, said “we need commitment from government. It will take resources and a lot of co-operation. The needs are great, but so is the need for further truth and reconciliation efforts by all stakeholders that have the ability to do something.

“There hasn’t been that many searches yet… there is suspicion the graves might have been moved. The fact we haven’t seen remains yet doesn’t mean they won’t be found.”

Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Leah Gazan said she plans to table a private member’s bill either before the summer recess of Parliament or in the fall, that would criminalize denialism of the abuse of Indigenous children at residential schools. It would be similar to legislation that prevents denial of the Holocaust.

“Our families need protection,” Gazan said.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca