Maritime residential school survivors react to latest discovery in Saskatchewan
Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan says it has found an estimated 751 unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School.
It’s a number so large and so horrific that it’s hard to wrap one’s head around.
“We could have been one of those victims, easily”, says Yvonne Meunier, a survivor of the Shubenacadie Residential School in Nova Scotia.
Meunier says, for context, the 751 unmarked graves found on the site of the former residential school in Saskatchewan is a little more than the population of the reserve she grew up on in New Brunswick.
While that is a sobering statistic, she says the discovery of the remains – and those in Kamloops, B.C. – comes with feelings of relief, and vindication, too.
“I really believe that those children, you know, that were buried, that they whispered amongst themselves, ‘They have found us. They have found us,’” Meunier told CTV Atlantic.
Tuma Young is the director of the Marshall Legal Institute at Cape Breton University. Just this past weekend, he was named the first Indigenous chair of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society.
He’s also a survivor of the Eskasoni Federal Indian Day School.
Young says the latest discovery in Saskatchewan sheds further light on what he and others experienced.
“The TRC Report even devoted a whole chapter to it – Chapter Four. And there’s a number of calls to actions that addressed this issue. So, we all knew. We’re not shocked. But still, it’s a very sad and tragic news that came out today," Young says.
While residential school survivors may not be surprised, it’s a lot to handle in a short period of time. In May, the remains of 215 children were discovered near the residential school in Kamloops.
“A lot of survivors are getting triggered and what we need, is to try and help them”, Young says.
The discoveries have plenty of non-Indigenous people wondering what they can do to show support and try to enact change.
“Well the first thing to do is read the TRC Report and if that’s too much, read the calls to action," suggested Tuma Young.
“We have now woken up the true story," adds Yvonne Meunier. “And we have allies and now people are becoming more educated about our history, our culture.”
With investigations are planned at other residential school sites across the country, Meunier is expecting the discovery of a lot more remains.
“There are going to be more that are going to be found and my heart is really broken, and I just keep praying and smudging, and I pray for forgiveness.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.