CAP Responds to Residential School Burial Sites Found by Cowessess First Nation

Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 24, 2021) - It is with feelings of outrage, but not shock that CAP responds to the news from Cowessess First Nation of the 751 unmarked graves at the Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan. In the wake of the news from Kamloops, Indigenous peoples across Canada knew that it was only a matter of time before the graves of more innocent children would be found at residential school sites.

National Chief Elmer St. Pierre has sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting an investigation at every former residential school site. A letter was also sent to the Pope of the Catholic Church, copying the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Apostolic Nunciature in Canada. "The institutions that perpetrated these crimes against humanity must take responsibility for their actions, and we won't rest until all of our lost Indigenous children are recovered," stated National Chief Elmer St. Pierre. "When we continue to see officials downplay the atrocities at the residential schools, we know Indigenous rights are not being taken seriously. Seeing the news today that Pastor Owen Keenan wants us to thank the church for the "good" done by the residential school system^[1] makes me sick."

"It is unacceptable that the Government of Canada has continued to ignore the requests of Indigenous leaders to investigate the residential school sites," stated Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Vice-Chief Kim Beaudin. "Our people have continued to undergo the trauma associated with these findings, and we need full closure on this dark chapter in Canadian history."

CAP is demanding that Prime Minister Trudeau launch a full investigation, with additional support programming for Indigenous Peoples across the country. The responsibility for this tragedy cannot be passed any longer, the buck must stop with Prime Minister Trudeau.

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For media interviews please contact: Jessica Dawson, Executive Manager & Communicationsj.dawson@abo-peoples.org^[2]613-806-8669

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the national voice representing the interests of Métis, status and non-status Indians, and Southern Inuit Indigenous People living off-reserve. Today, over 70% of Indigenous people live off-reserve. 

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88582^[3]