Feds, province agree to help fund search for unmarked graves at former Ont. residential school site
Garden River First Nation has secured funding from the federal and provincial governments to help with the search for unmarked graves at former residential school sites near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
The First Nation said Monday the three-year funding commitment will help it establish internal protocols for the search, which will help its own residents dealing with generational trauma.
Garden River opened talks with the federal government last year, coinciding with the search for unmarked graves at the former Shingwauk Residential School site.
That search is being conducted by the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association.
Chief Andy Rickard said he wanted to go above and beyond to help his people, by setting up internal protocols.
"One of the things I wanted to do was approach the feds and find out if there was any resources there to do some of the internal work within our own community, in terms of trauma, healing, all that kind of stuff and then obviously looking at the grounds of those areas," Rickard said.
He said the federal government brought in the province to help with further resources and both levels of government committed to a three-year funding deal.
"We acknowledge those contributions and I think that's part of reconciliation, being able to assist communities that are looking to do this kind of work, especially that kind of healing work within our communities," Rickard said.
The Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association said it has wanted the First Nation to co-lead in the search it started at the Shingwauk site last year. But search director Jay Jones said the funding announcement is a surprise.
"We've reached out to them repeatedly, both I have, Irene Barbeau our president, has reached out to them and they have not returned our emails, or inquiries or anything," Jones said.
The First Nation said details are still in the preliminary stages regarding exactly what it will be doing with the funds. It could include conducting its own search for unmarked graves.
But Jones said working together will be more productive.
"Being the Shingwauk Education Trust, being the overseer of this site, they have a right to do it, they have a right to lead this, but we also have a right to help lead this project," he said.
Garden River said it couldn't confirm an official dollar figure for how much it will receive.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.