Thursday July 29, 2021 | KAMLOOPS, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
Today at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School Jagmeet Singh was the first federal party leader to visit there and meet with the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc chief and council, and “pay homage” in person.
“I’m struck by how hard it is to be here — this is where it happened,” he told media during a Zoom call this morning, regarding the emotional & spiritual impact of his visit to the school site (which now operates as an administrative office and area where various types of community support are organized or provided). And that was before he had even visited the grave sites.
“As a country, this is our responsibility,” said Singh, referring to the action required in undertaking the work of the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report of 2015. “Canada made this decision” to run the residential school system, said Singh, to justify his stance that the Canadian government should support the healing and reconciliation process “with all the resources necessary”.
Prior to now, the approach of the federal government was “paternalistic — an ‘Ottawa knows best’ approach”, said Singh.
He articulated about how the trauma of having children ripped away from their families has led to inter-generational trauma and resultant impacts, such as people not even knowing what it’s like to have a mother (which made it pretty hard to be a good parent themselves).
Mourn, then take action:
Overall, Singh says governments need to “get better at being proactive” at helping Indigenous communities be more resilient. And across Canada, “we can’t just mourn, we have to act”, a sensibility to which the NDP leader aims to provide leadership.
So far, 215 unmarked grave sites have been found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Using ground-penetrating radar, it appears that many of the bodies are small (i.e. those of children).
“It’s not good enough to mourn, we have to do something to make this right,” says Jagmeet Singh. “We need to make sure every single kid is brought home,” he told media today, cleared moved by the magnitude of this journey.
Local Kamloops candidate:
Also addressing media today was Bill Sundhu who is the NDP Candidate for Kamloops-Thompson, who said that Canadians and government need to “deal with this heartbreaking reality” of what happened at and as a consequence of the Indian residential school system.
“We need to bring those spirits to rest, of those children,” said Sundhu.
A different tone:
This sort of commentary from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and the local candidate for Kamloops is different in tone and depth than what is being heard otherwise in the national political scene. The level of spiritual awareness seems well in keeping with the Indigenous approach to wholeness of community.
Singh also said that he’s hearing Indigenous people express support and pride in Canada now having an Indigenous Governor General.
Earlier this week, Mary Simon was officially and ceremoniously installed as this country’s 30th Governor General on July 26 in Ottawa. She addressed the small assembly of dignitaries (group kept small due to the ongoing pandemic) in both English and her native Inuk language, with a few sentences also in French. Simon said she is “humbled and ready” to serve.
===== RELATED ARTICLES by Island Social Trends:
BC Premier responds to next steps around Kamloops grave findings (July 15, 2021)
Election could be held off says NDP leader, with focus on COVID safety & small business (July 10, 2021)
NDP on more housing, better child care, & faster TRC action as federal election looms (July 8, 2021)
First Indigenous Governor General of Canada to be installed July 26, 2021 (July 6, 2021)
