UBCIC Embraces Independent Special Interlocutor’s Damning Findings: Children Missing at Residential Schools Victims of Enforced Disappearance by Church and State

News Release
October 30, 2024

UBCIC Embraces Independent Special Interlocutor’s Damning Findings:  Children Missing at Residential Schools Victims of Enforced Disappearance by Church and State   

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – October 30, 2024) The Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Residential Schools, Kimberly Murray –  a member of Kanehsatà:ke – released her final report yesterday after her two-year appointment to identify measures and recommendations for a new federal legal framework on unmarked graves and burial sites.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) deeply welcomes Ms. Murray’s profound 42 legal, moral and ethical obligations directed at governments, churches, and other institutions and her findings which include that Canada must refer to the enforced disappearance of children as a crime against humanity to the International Criminal Court.

Among the 42 obligations, the final report urges the establishment of a 20-year Commission of Investigations into the Enforced Disappearance of Indigenous Children in Canada with the power to take action and fully investigate. Ms. Murray calls for Canada to amend the Criminal Code, making the incitement of hate against Indigenous people and promotion of Residential School denialism a criminal offense. UBCIC responded to the fraught issue of Residential School denialism in its June 2024 Resolution 2024-33 “RE: Rejection of Residential School Racist Denialism”, calling for the rejection racist denialism and dissemination of misinformation and for all levels of government to uphold the testimony of survivors and the findings of experts.

The final report’s obligations further call for support for survivors and First Nations to carry out investigations, respect for Indigenous laws, protection of burial sites and records relating to children at Residential Schools, the appointment of an independent panel of experts to conduct a full investigation to trace the history and legality of the land transfers relating to the former Residential School properties, an apology, memorialization and commemoration, and full implementation and monitoring.

We express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Murray for her careful and thorough investigation and for delivering such thoughtful and practical legal remedies and calls to action to ensure the history and ongoing harms of Residential Schools are addressed in this country. We call on governments, churches and all those cited within the final report to urgently uphold the findings alongside the TRC’s Calls for Action, to remove all barriers and provide dedicated resources alongside a public commitment to the implementation these obligations without delay to advance reconciliation objectives, healing for survivors, and to find answers about our missing children.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

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Media inquiries:

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, 250-490-5314
Chief Don Tom, Vice-President, 604-290-6083
Chief Marilyn Slett, Secretary-Treasurer, 250-957-7721

UBCIC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

For more information, please visit www.ubcic.bc.ca

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