Dr. Abdul Raouf, Saskatchewan Polytechnic with GPR. Photo credit: Tina Pelletier
APTN News: A search is set to start Monday to identify potential unmarked graves associated with the residential school that operated in Sturgeon Landing, one of the communities that’s part of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) in northeastern Saskatchewan.
The Sturgeon Landing Residential School, run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe, began operations in 1926, officially opening in 1927. In a news release, PBCN said the school claimed to “save the nomadic Indian population from great poverty,” but the school caused deep harm by erasing the language, culture, and family ties of many Indigenous children.
“Sturgeon Landing holds deep scars for our community,” said PBCN Vice Chief Justiin Halcrow. “Many of our children were taken from their families, culture, and identities here. As we search for unmarked graves, we honour those who never returned and continue our path toward healing. Every child mattered, and we will ensure their stories are remembered, and their spirits honoured.”
Saskatchewan Polytechnic is providing the technical support for the survey using ground penetrating radar, or GPR as it’s commonly called, and emphasized their commitment to the project.
“Our team is honoured to be entrusted with this significant work and we hope this project will contribute to reconciliation efforts,” said Susan Blum, associate vice-president, Applied Research and Innovation at Saskatchewan Polytech. “We are privileged to share our technical expertise, equipment and experience to collaborate with community partners on important applied research projects like this.”
After enduring outbreaks of illness, the school was destroyed by fire in 1952 and never rebuilt. According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, 43 students died while attending the school. After the fire, students were relocated to The Pas, Manitoba and the Guy Hill Residential School was established in 1957. PBCN said this GPR survey is part of its broader commitment to truth and reconciliation. On Sept. 20, PBCN hosted a truth and reconciliation gathering at the Sturgeon Landing site to honour the children who attended the school, especially those who did not return.
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PBCN said it is likely that additional GPR work will take place in 2025, as the site is large and has complex geological and disturbed land conditions.
PBCN has over 12,000 members across nine communities spanning 51,000 square kilometres. Its nine communities include Denare Beach, Deschaumbault Lake, Kinoosao, Pelican Narrows, Prince Albert, Sandy Bay, Southend, Sturgeon Landing, and Birch Portage.