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Content: Mass murder, abuse, and neglect of Indigenous children, residential schools
We mourn, honour, and remember the 215 Indigenous children, some as young as three years old, whose remains were discovered in an unmarked mass grave at a former residential school on Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation in Kamloops, B.C. This discovery is yet another reminder that Canada is a settler-colonial state built on the genocide of Indigenous peoples. The pattern of violence towards Indigenous children and youth continues today in the child welfare and foster care system. 102 Indigenous children in Ontario's child welfare system died between 2013 and 2017. 741 children in Alberta's child welfare system, the majority of whom were Indigenous, died between 1999 and 2013. We remember Alex Gervais, Traevon Desjarlais-Chalifoux, and Santanna Scott-Huntinghawk in B.C. And the many more Indigenous children who lost their lives in residential schools and modern child welfare systems across Turtle Island. Of those that survived, experience in the residential school system, the Sixties Scoop, and the current welfare system continue to be a source and exacerbation of disability across generations. We hold that reconciliation and decolonization is a disability justice imperative and responsibility for us all. To our Indigenous friends and community members, we share with you our love, grief, and anger. We commit to amplifying Indigenous voices and honouring Indigenous truth tellers, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, and we join the call for reconciliation, return of stolen land, support for indigenous-led initiatives to investigate other residential school grounds, compensation of survivors and their families, and an end to the staggering violence and human rights abuses towards Indigenous people across Turtle Island. Statements from Indigenous leadership: https://tkemlups.ca/wp-content/uploads/05-May-27-2021-TteS-MEDIA-RELEASE.pdf https://www.ubcic.bc.ca/ubcic_mourns_with_the_tk_eml_ps_te_secw_pemc_residential_school_survivors_and_all_first_nations Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, including 94 calls to action: https://nctr.ca/records/reports/ Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls: https://mmiwresources.carrd.co/ https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/ https://www.nwac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Fact_Sheet_Missing_and_Murdered_Aboriginal_Women_and_Girls.pdf Indigenous Crisis and Mental Health Supports: Indian Residential School Survivors Society National toll-free help line: 1 (800) 721-0066 24-hour crisis line: 1 (866) 925-4419 Hope for Wellness / Ligne d’écoute d’espoir pour le mieux-être 24-hour toll-free help line: 1 (855) 242-3310 - Phone counselling available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut - Online chat counselling available in English and French Kuu-us 24-Hour Crisis Line (BC) Adults/Elders: 250-723-4050 Children/Youth: 250-723-2040 BC Wide Toll Free: 1800-KUU-US17 (1800-588-8717) Métis Crisis Line BC Toll Free: 1833-MétisBC (1833-638-4722) Indigenous Mutual Aid: https://www.ienearth.org/covid-19-emergency-mutual-aid-fund/ https://www.indigenousmutualaid.org/
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