Fort Albany First Nation can be working with 5 different First Nation communities to research St. Anne’s Indian Residential Faculty burial websites.
The St. Anne’s Indian Residential Faculty Survivors (IRS) Undertaking has been underway for a number of months now, and can embody establishing protocols for searches, stays, assessments and therapeutic, Fort Albany Chief Robert Nakogee mentioned in a information launch at present.
Preliminary analysis suggests college students who attended the varsity have been from Moose Manufacturing facility, Fort Severn, Constance Lake, Attawapiskat and Weenusk (Peawanuck). Fort Albany will spearhead the challenge, working with the opposite communities.
Manitoba-based planning agency Narratives Inc. has been employed and extra specialised sources can even be introduced in as wanted.
Final yr, Ontario dedicated $10 million over three years to determine, examine and commemorate burial websites on the grounds of former residential colleges. The cash can even go towards assist for varsity survivors, their households and communities. Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada has additionally earmarked $1.3 million for 2021-22.
St. Anne’s college was established in 1906. It was run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Gray Nuns of Cross till the varsity closed in 1976. The federal government took over the administration of the varsity in 1965 and the residence in 1970.
Initially situated on the Fort Albany Mission on Albany Island, the varsity was moved to the north shores of the banks of Albany River in 1932.
“The tales that we all know of to date are completely horrifying. It’s time we sat down, listened and documented these. Former chief Edmund Metatawabin already began this necessary work of documenting the reality,” reads the assertion. “We look ahead to carrying on that necessary work to go looking the grounds for our youngsters and begin the method of therapeutic.”
Nakogee mentioned the initiative can be “extraordinarily troublesome”.
“The multigenerational trauma continues to harm us throughout the demographic. We wish to take our time, set up our protocols and ensure we do issues proper. We recognize the dedication Canada and Ontario have made and look ahead to persevering with on this path of building fact earlier than reconciliation,” he mentioned.
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller mentioned their ideas are with the individuals within the communities concerned.
“The communities deserve the reality, and we stay dedicated to addressing previous wrongs and the horrific abuse suffered at this establishment, as work continues in the direction of therapeutic and closure,” he mentioned.
The challenge will obtain sources from Canada and Ontario together with psychological well being helps.
“The painful legacy of the Indian residential college system continues to inflict deep hurt and ongoing intergenerational trauma on survivors, affected households and communities,” Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford mentioned within the assertion. “Ontario is dedicated to supporting the troublesome and painful work that lies forward for the leaders of the St. Anne’s Indian Residential Faculty Survivors Undertaking and the Fort Albany neighborhood, whereas guaranteeing trauma-informed helps can be found at each step.”
In Ontario, there are 18 identified residential college websites, in keeping with the Fact and Reconciliation Fee of Canada (TRC).
On the James Bay coast, there have been residential colleges in Fort Albany and Moose Manufacturing facility. The residential college closest to Timmins was Chapleau Indian Residential Faculty.
A 24-hour nationwide residential college disaster line, established to offer assist to former college students and their households, might be accessed at 1-866-925-4419.