'Years of work ahead': Alberta's Indigenous communities to search for and document unmarked graves
The work to search for and document Alberta's unmarked graves and deaths at residential schools will take "years," say those who are partnering with communities on the work.
The University of Alberta's Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology (IPIA) is using ground-penetrating technology and drones to search for unmarked burial sites. It's already partnered with five communities, including the Enoch Cree First Nation and Papaschase First Nation.
Professor Kisha Supernant, who is Métis, said more communities are reaching out after the discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops and 751 unmarked graves on the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.
"We've had a pretty steady stream of inquiries and First Nations and Métis communities reaching out to us to talk about ways that they can start this (work)," Supernant said.
She called the news out of B.C. and Saskatchewan heartbreaking, but not surprising.
"I think there are many unmarked graves across many of these landscapes around residential schools, and there are other places where our relatives, our Indigenous relatives, are in unmarked graves and unprotected areas," she said.
FUNDING TO DOCUMENT UNMARKED GRAVES
On Wednesday, the Alberta Government announced $8 million in funding to search and document unmarked graves.
Searching the province could take a long time, Supernant said. Alberta was home to the most residential schools of any province or territory in Canada.
At least 134 schools are recognized in the country, 25 of them were here in Alberta between 1893 and 1996.
At least 134 residential schools are recognized in the country, 25 of them were here in Alberta between 1893 and 1996.
"This is going to have to be addressed on a nation-by-nation basis, to have the community and the family members decided how they want to go forward," said Core Voyageur, a sociology professor at the University of Calgary.
"We can't take the process and the decisions out of the hands of the family and of the First Nations," she said.
Voyageur is a residential school survivor herself, having attended the Holy Angels Residential School in Fort Chipewyan, Alta.
Her research suggests there at least 4,200 students estimated to have died at Canadian residential schools.
"I'm fully expecting that we're going to find human remains in my own community, and this is going to impact my family and friends," Voyageur said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.