1st July 2021 – In yet another shocking revelation, 182 unmarked graves have been discovered at St. Eugene Residential School site in British Columbia. This is the third discovery of unmarked graves in the past couple of months. On the eve of Canada Day, this traumatic discovery reminds of Canada’s dark history.
The Aqam community, whose members have discovered these graves, are in deep shock and pain. They are using the radar technology to detect these graves. Later yesterday, an official statement also confirmed that “they are still undergoing analysis and the history of this area is a complex one”. https://www.aqam.net/news/%CA%94aq%CC%93am-statement-cemetery .The researchers are trying to identify if these graves are of children who attended the St. Eugene Residential School.
Indian Residential Schools have a tragic history where thousands of First Nations children were brought to be ‘civilized’. The children had to bear many brutalities and some committed suicide. These recent discoveries have become national shame. Some advocacy groups in Canada have demanding to cancel Canada Day celebrations. City of Pickering has decided to cancel Canada Day celebrations to show solidarity to First Nations.
