We call upon the parties engaged in the work of documenting, maintaining, commemorating, and protecting residential school cemeteries to adopt strategies in accordance with the following principles:
- The Aboriginal community most affected shall lead the development of such strategies.
- Information shall be sought from residential school Survivors and other Knowledge Keepers in the development of such strategies.
- Aboriginal protocols shall be respected before any potentially invasive technical inspection and investigation of a cemetery site.
Why “In Progress?”
Nov. 9, 2022: Government of Canada announced funding of $28.5 million over five years for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) including funding for the National Advisory Committee on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials. The NCTR Pre-Budget Submission 2022 asked specifically for $7.5M over 5 years to support this project.
July 20, 2022: The Govt. of Canada and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation announce the new National Advisory Committee on Residential Schools Missing Children and Unmarked Burials
August 11, 2021: The federal government announced that they will create a national advisory committee, made up of archeology, forensic, pathology and mental health experts, to advise Indigenous communities and the government about the work to find and identify the children.
The federal government also announced that they will appoint a special interlocutor to propose law and policy changes to better respond to the findings of unmarked graves at former residential school sites and in addition committed $321M in new funding for Indigenous communities.
Current Status
In Progress
Call to Action
last updated
October 29, 2024
Latest Updates
Office of the Special Interlocutor
Special interlocutor releases final residential school graves report
Kimberly Murray issues 42 ‘obligations’, seeks 20-year probe https://player.vimeo.com/video/1024542309?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479 Warning: This report refers to residential schools and may be disturbing for some readers. Help is……
October 29, 2024
Indian Residential Schools Data
New tool puts access to old residential schools online
Indigenous Services Canada has posted data about former residential schools The former Chooutla Indian Residential School in Carcross, Yukon. Photo: National Centre for Truth and……
June 28, 2024
National Framework for Burial Sites
What comes next in the search for missing residential school children?
The completed ground-penetrating radar surveys in B.C. are the first steps in a complex process The Ahousaht First Nation released findings on April 10 from……
April 13, 2024
Office of the Special Interlocutor
Office of the Special Interlocutor Call for Submissions
NationTalk: Background Information The Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burials Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools, Kimberly Murray, was appointed……
January 16, 2023
Office of the Special Interlocutor
Moving from Our Heads to Our Hearts to Our Hands Summary Report of the National Gathering on Unmarked Burials: Supporting the Search and Recovery of Missing Children
Summary Report of the National Gathering on Unmarked Burials: Supporting the Search and Recovery of Missing Children: Sept. 12-14, 2022 NationTalk: The first National Gathering, held……
January 12, 2023
Nat. Advisory Committee & Interlocutor
Government of Canada and NCTR announce National Advisory Committee on Residential Schools Missing Children and Unmarked Burials
Ottawa, ON — Unceded Traditional Territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation – Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the National Centre for Truth and……
July 20, 2022
National Framework for Burial Sites
National Framework for Investigation and Protection of Burial Sites
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC) at UBC – NCTR and IRSHDC re calling……
June 2, 2021
Nat. Advisory Committee & Interlocutor
Federal Government National Advisory Committee and Special Interlocutor
Toronto Star – The federal government announced that they will create a national advisory committee, made up of archeology, forensic, pathology and mental health experts,……
August 11, 2011