London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

Search reveals 169 potential unmarked graves at former Canadian residential school, officials say

Search reveals 169 potential unmarked graves at former Canadian residential school, officials say

Officials uncovered 169 potential unmarked graves on the grounds of a former Catholic residential school in Canada, an Indigenous tribe in Alberta said Tuesday.

The Kapawe'no First Nation, which is located over 200 miles northwest of Edmonton, said the discovery was made at the former St. Bernard Mission School at the Grouard Mission site. The potential graves were identified using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and drone imagery, officials said.

The residential school was one of several in Canada that thousands of mostly Indigenous children were forced to attend after being separated from their families between the 19th century and the 1990s. At least 150,000 Indigenous children from across the country were affected by the practice, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

"We remember the devastation our people felt when our children were forcibly removed from their families, communities to be placed in Indian residential schools," Kapawe'no Chief Sydney Halcrow said during a news conference Tuesday. "We can start our journey of healing our identities that they fought so hard to take from us."

Halcrow said information from survivors, community members and archival records indicates several children died during their time at the school. The Catholic Church opened St. Bernard Mission School in 1894 and it closed in 1961, according to Canada's National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

The investigation to find unmarked graves of children who reportedly died at the school began in October 2021 through a joint effort from the Kapawe'no First Nation and the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology (IPIA) at the University of Alberta.

"Hundred sixty-nine potential graves were identified based on analysis on anomalies within the GPR data that had characteristics associated with unmarked graves," IPIA Director Kisha Supernant said.

Over the course of six days, 115 potential graves were found inside the existing community cemetery where no grave markers were found, according to Supernant. Additionally, 54 potential graves were located around the school property, outside of the cemetery area.

The investigation is expected to continue in two additional phases, Supernant said.

An Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24/7 for former students and others affected at 1-866-925-4419.

Hundreds of unmarked graves identified at other schools


The painful discovery of the potential unmarked graves comes after hundreds of Indigenous children's remains were found at several sites last year amid a reckoning of how Canada had treated First Nations communities.

Estimates indicate more than 4,000 children died while in residential schools over a period of several decades, Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission wrote in a 2015 report on the legacy of the residential school system. It detailed decades of physical, sexual and emotional abuse suffered by children in government and church-run institutions.

"These residential schools were created for the purpose of separating Aboriginal children from their families, in order to minimize and weaken family ties and cultural linkages, and to indoctrinate children into a new culture -- the culture of the legally dominant Euro-Christian Canadian society," the report said.

In May 2021, the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc community confirmed remains of 215 children who attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School were found.

A month later, the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan announced the discovery of at least 750 unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School.

In British Columbia, 182 human remains in unmarked graves were found in July 2021 at the site of the former St. Eugene's Mission School near the city of Cranbrook, the Lower Kootenay Band, a member band of the Ktunaxa Nation, said.

Last year, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops apologized for its role in the residential school system and expressed "profound remorse."

"We acknowledge the grave abuses that were committed by some members of our Catholic community; physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and sexual," the organization said in a statement. "We also sorrowfully acknowledge the historical and ongoing trauma and the legacy of suffering and challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples that continue to this day."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×