Bishop Shane Parker has released a statement concerning the Indigenous Children who perished at the Kamloops Residental School. You may read the full statement by downloading the text below.
From Bishop Shane:
On May 27, the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the discovery of the bodies of 215 Indigenous Children at the former site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. This news is heartbreaking and horrifying, and is profoundly distressing for Indigenous people, especially Survivors and intergenerational Survivors.
Now is a time to listen to Indigenous voices, and to hear the profound pain, anger, and wisdom in those voices. The lives of the Indigenous Children matter very much, and the voices of Indigenous People matter very much as we absorb the full reality of this heartbreaking horror.
And so, first of all, I point you to three Indigenous voices:
The Honourable Murray Sinclair, former Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
The Honourable Mary Jane McCallum, Senator and residential school Survivor
Albert Dumont (Oshki Nodin) of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Ottawa Poet Laureate
The full letter is available below.