Current Problems: Missing Children and Burial Information (71-76)
Exploring Theme: "Challenges for Special Interlocutor"
Updates on this page: 19
November 29, 2023
After concerns, Ottawa pauses work on $2M contract for help on unmarked graves
Some of the artwork memorializing the unmarked graves discovered in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation. Photo: APTN APTN News: The Candian Press – The federal government has paused and plans to rework a $2-million contract with an international group hired to provide advice on identifying and locating the unmarked graves of children who attended residential schools....
November 26, 2023
Special interlocutor ‘waiting’ for MP bill criminalizing residential school denialism
The Globe and Mail: The Canadian Press – Canada’s justice minister is considering options raised by the independent adviser on unmarked graves, who says Indigenous leaders want Canada to move on criminalizing residential school denialism. Kimberly Murray called on lawmakers to consider “legal mechanisms” that could address the practice of denying or minimizing the abuses...
October 2, 2023
Trudeau’s government tasked her with seeking justice for Indigenous children in unmarked graves. Now she says it’s stonewalling her
A federal government appointee says limits around how she conducts her work are hindering reconciliation — and feeding into a disturbing rise in misinformation about the legacy of residential schools. Toronto Star: OTTAWA—The federal government’s point person on seeking justice for Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves says Ottawa’s limits around how she conducts her...
September 30, 2023
Orange Shirt Day: Canada faces rise in residential school denialism
Hate speech and confrontations are growing over the truth about missing children, graves and genocide People attend the second annual Orange Shirt Day Survivors Walk and Pow Wow on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Sept. 30, 2022. With Orange Shirt Day approaching Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, a surge in residential...
September 28, 2023
Federal government needs to counter rise in residential school denialism says Kimberly Murray
APTN News: The rise in residential school denialism is directly related to how the federal and provincial governments have been handling reconciliation in Canada, according to the special interlocutor on missing children and unmarked burials. Kimberly Murray, speaking to APTN News ahead of the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, said the federal and provincial...
June 16, 2023
Canada must combat residential school denialism, special interlocutor’s report says
The Globe and Mail: The Canadian Press: Ottawa – The independent special interlocutor on unmarked graves says “urgent consideration” should be given to legal mechanisms as a way for Canada to combat residential school denialism. Kimberly Murray makes the call in an interim report released today, just over a year after she was appointed to...
June 6, 2023
‘Have some respect’: International involvement in residential school burial work not wanted, needed
“I think what was really quite offensive to a lot of people across the country is this suggestion that we somehow needed international oversight to do the work…” — Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux Windspeaker.com: The National Advisory Committee on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials will not participate in an internationally-led engagement process for DNA collection, which...
May 30, 2023
Advisory committee on residential school graves says it won’t work with Netherlands-based NGO
Ottawa announced contract with International Commission on Missing Persons in February CBC News: A group dedicated to supporting Indigenous communities as they look for children who went missing at residential schools says it will not participate in an engagement process on DNA collection to identify unmarked graves at the former school sites. In a statement released...
March 21, 2023
Adviser on unmarked graves says some landowners are refusing access for searches
NationTalk: CTV News: OTTAWA – As some private landowners restrict residential school survivors from performing ceremony or searching their properties for possible unmarked graves, a federal minister says Ottawa is open to legislating new protections for the possible burial sites. Kimberly Murray, who was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to provide it with advice...
March 15, 2023
International commission looks to ease fears over unmarked graves contract
UN Indigenous rights expert heard ‘numerous concerns’ about deal during official visit CBC News: The top official at the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) wants to ease concerns the organization’s contract with the federal government could compromise its independence as it works with Indigenous communities in Canada. “I don’t have those concerns,” said Kathryne Bomberger,...
March 5, 2023
‘You’re not alone’: Guatemalan anthropologist offers support for unmarked graves searches
Fredy Peccerelli says Indigenous communities can and should develop own forensic anthropology capacity Warning: This story contains distressing details. CBC News: The head of a Guatemalan forensic anthropology group is offering his support for Indigenous communities in Canada as they investigate unmarked burials linked to residential schools. When he was nine, Fredy Peccerelli’s family fled Guatemala’s...
February 23, 2023
Anishinabek Nation trusts Indigenous Survivors, communities, and experts to guide unmarked burial searches regardless of federal deal with international group
Trigger warning: readers may be triggered by the recount of Indian Residential Schools. To access a 24-hour National Crisis Line, call: 1-866-925-4419. Community Assistance Program (CAP) can be accessed for citizens of the Anishinabek Nation: 1-800-663-1142. NationTalk: ANISHINABEK NATION HEAD OFFICE (February 23, 2023) – Anishinabek Nation leadership is confounded by the recent announcement of a $2...
February 20, 2023
Winnipeg-based group ‘deeply concerned’ by federal contract with international group to advise on graves
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation says decision seems to undermine Indigenous-led work in the area CBC News: The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation says there are many problems with a $2 million contract Ottawa signed with an international group to give advice on unmarked graves. The Winnipeg-based centre said it is “deeply concerned” with...
February 18, 2023
First Nations discuss best practices in Thunder Bay as searches of residential school sites continue
Nishnawbe Aski Nation hosting gathering of 18 communities this week CBC News: As searches for potential unmarked graves at former residential school sites in Canada continue, representatives of First Nations from across Ontario gathered in Thunder Bay this week to discuss best practices. The Residential School Site Search Forum took place at the Best Western Plus...
February 17, 2023
Feds will manage group providing options on residential school unmarked burials
$2M deal with International Commission on Missing Persons comes with significant oversight CBC News: The Canadian government will heavily supervise an international group hired to provide Indigenous communities with options on unmarked burials at former residential school sites, a contract released Friday shows. Publication of Ottawa’s $2-million technical arrangement with The Hague-based International Commission on Missing...
February 9, 2023
Interlocutor on unmarked graves ‘very concerned’ by feds’ $2M deal with international organization
Kimberly Murray flags lack of transparency on agreement to UN Indigenous rights rapporteur CBC News: The special interlocutor for missing children and unmarked burials at residential schools is calling out the federal government over a deal with an international group tasked with locating missing people lost through armed conflict, human rights abuses and other causes. Kimberly...
January 18, 2023
Residential school records needed to answer ‘hard questions’: special interlocutor
The records are important because they represent ‘a path to the truth,’ says Kimberly Murray. The fight is not over to find records that could answer “hard questions” about unmarked graves at Canada’s residential schools, including who the missing children were and how they died, said the woman appointed to work with Indigenous communities in...
December 6, 2022
New details coming to light says special interlocutor on unmarked graves and missing children
APTN News: Kimberly Murray is a little more than six months into her new role, but it’s become clear that new truths are being spoken. In June of 2022, Murray was working with residential school survivors looking to search the grounds of the Mohawk Institute at Six Nations of the Grand River. That’s when the...
October 30, 2022
Seeking justice for missing children and unmarked graves has uncovered ‘larger’ concerns, special interlocutor says
Kimberly Murray says an impending bill making Indigenous policing an essential service could make the process of searching burial sites much safer for Indigenous communities. Toronto Star: OTTAWA—For Kimberly Murray, many challenges lie behind the difficult work of crafting a legal framework that would seek justice for children who faced abuse and lost their lives...
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