Victoria and Esquimalt mayors said flags will be lowered on Monday, joining other communities across the country. Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation said the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were confirmed last weekend with the help of ground-penetrating radar. She described the discovery as “an unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.” It operated from 1890 to 1978 and was the largest in the Indian Affairs residential school system. Plans are underway to bring in forensics experts to identify and repatriate the remains of the children buried on the site.
Harvey McLeod, who said he endured abuse at the school, noted that he felt “so much hurt and pain to finally hear, for the outside world, to finally hear what we assumed what was happening there.”
Harvey McLeod, who said he endured abuse at the school, noted that he felt “so much hurt and pain to finally hear, for the outside world, to finally hear what we assumed what was happening there.”