Statement on the Missing Children of the Kamloops Indian Residential School
31 May, 2021
A message from Santa J. Ono, President and Vice-Chancellor; Lesley Cormack, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UBC Okanagan
We were heartbroken to learn of the confirmation of the burial site of 215 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School last week. We can only imagine the grief and pain that the families and communities of the missing children are feeling. UBC stands with First Nations seeking the truth about the missing children. We support having the children returned to their families and communities with proper protocols. May we honour their lives and the survivors and never forget their stories.
Our thoughts are with the families, the communities, residential school survivors and all who mourn. We have lowered our flags on both campuses for 215 hours, until sundown on Sunday June 6, in shared grief and to pay our respects to the children of the Kamloops Residential School, their families and communities.
We know that this news will reopen wounds and spark a lot of grief, anger and sadness for many in the UBC community. If you need support, services are available: through the First Nations Longhouse, and counselling services on both the UBC Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
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