The Manitoba Museum joins with all of Canada in extending our heartfelt condolences to the families and the communities who have been devastated by the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children who died at Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia. In doing this, we recognize both the profound loss that these children’s deaths represent and the story of erasure that this discovery exposes. We acknowledge and remember the 215 children who were loved, cared for, and missed by their loved ones – 215 children who are not forgotten, although their stories were silenced for so long.
The Manitoba Museum is committed to educating visitors about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these children and where possible, who they were, while calling upon all levels of government to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) Calls to Action, particularly Calls 71 through 76 (Missing Children and Burial Information).
We also recognize that the story of the discovery of these children’s remains highlights the ongoing story of Indigenous child welfare in Canada. In keeping with this, we call upon all levels of government to respond promptly and wholeheartedly to the spirit and intent of the TRC’s Calls to Action, and especially to Calls 1-5 on Child Welfare.