Unmarked graves found in Shubenacadie, N.S., not linked to former residential school, search finds
A team of Nova Scotia researchers has confirmed they were unable to find any unmarked graves for students who died while attending the largest residential school in Atlantic Canada.
The Sipekne'katik First Nation issued a statement Wednesday saying the search of the former Shubenacadie Residential School site north of Halifax included the use of ground-penetrating radar and aerial laser scanning. The survey team's leader, Dr. Jonathan Fowler, said the search included scans of the surrounding farmland.
Fowler, an associate professor with Saint Mary's University in Halifax, said evidence of unmarked graves was identified, but it predated the 1930 founding of the residential school by about 100 years and is likely connected to former landowners.
The First Nation's chief, Mike Sack, told members of the local Mi'kmaq community the search will resume if new information comes forward.
"As we said at the outset, our best hope would be to find no evidence of graves as we continue to grapple with the effects of the residential school system on our communities," Sack said. "We know that people need closure and healing."
Ground-penetrating radar was used at the former school in April and December of last year and again this past June and July.
There is an official list of 16 students who died while attending the school, but local Mi'kmaq elder Dorene Bernard has said survivors have come forward in the past three years to provide the names of more missing children.
The Department of Indian Affairs brought students to the school from all three Maritime provinces and the Restigouche reserve in Quebec. Operated by the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Halifax until 1956, the institution was the only school of its type in Atlantic Canada. It was closed in 1967 and burned to the ground in the 1980s.
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued a report saying the country's church-run, government-sponsored residential school system was a tool for cultural genocide. The commission compiled a list 4,100 names of children who died of disease or accident while attending a residential school.
"Some of these children ran away, while others died at the schools," the commission concluded. "The exact number of children who died at school may never be known, but the death rates for many schools, particularly during times of epidemic or disease, were very high."
Last month, the federal government announced it would increase funding beyond the $27.1 million pledged in the 2019 budget for searches for unmarked graves. The funding announcement followed recent discoveries of more than 1,000 unmarked graves at several residential school sites. In all, about 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis children attended residential schools.
For those Indigenous families who resisted the system, children were forcibly taken away by the RCMP. The schools were also known for overcrowding, poor sanitation, unhealthy food and menial labour. Harsh punishment was meted out for students who spoke their native language or took part in traditional ceremonies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.
B.C. mayor's 'luxury' trip to Dubai climate conference was against ethics rules: commissioner
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone's all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai for a climate conference last December violated the city's Code of Conduct for Council Members and the Community Charter, the city's ethics commissioner has ruled.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Democrats Abroad Canada warns U.S. voters to take action ahead of possible Canada Post strike
Democrats Abroad Canada is warning Americans that a potential postal workers strike this weekend could affect the ability to vote in next week's election.
Caught on camera: Edmonton police run over woman during welfare call
An Edmonton Police Service officer was caught on camera running over a woman with a marked cruiser last month.
Orphaned squirrel who became social media star was euthanized after being seized from New York home
An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.
B.C. landlord who evicted longtime tenant, hiked rent and re-listed unit ordered to pay $16K
A landlord from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who evicted a longtime tenant only to rent out the same unit months later for more money has been ordered to compensate him $16,480.
Secret Service report offers new details on failures during Trump assassination attempt
A new Secret Service report into the July assassination attempt against former U.S. president Donald Trump said multiple staffers knew about clear line-of-sight risks but found them 'acceptable' and that farm equipment intended to obstruct the view from the nearby building where the gunman opened fire was never used.