File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

NEW FINDINGS

Ground-penetrating radar finds 66 new reflections at St. Joesph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake

Jan 25, 2023 | 1:47 PM

Support services are in place for residential school survivors and their families here.

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — Exactly one year after the Williams Lake First Nation announced the confirmation of 93 reflections on the grounds of the Saint Joseph’s Mission Residential School, the first nation revealed their findings from Phase Two of the ground penetrating radar search. The first phase covered 14 hectares, with today’s announcement more than doubling that figure.

“In the second phase findings, we uncovered 66 additional anomalies, to add to last year’s announcement of 93,” confirmed Chief Willie Sellars.

The residential school ran from 1891 until its closure 90 years later in 1981. The ground penetrating radar work started in August of 2021 and is being conducted in phases, with Phase Two findings announced Wednesday (Jan. 25).

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“The bigger, broader discussions is next steps about what we do with those findings. There have been discussions around excavation, exhumation and sampling DNA. The bigger broader discussion needs to be nations that are impacted,” said Sellars.

With more than 150 reflections now found and more searches still being planned, the path ahead is not yet clear for the community. Sellars noted 48 different First Nation communities had kids attend the school, and work must be done collaboratively.

“What we are focusing on is just finding the truth and the education that comes with that truth. The stories, the horrific recounts of survivors’ times and our ancestors’ times at the school. How we heal our community is the number one on the priority list,” said Sellars.

As First Nation and non-Indigenous communities continue to walk down the road toward reconciliation, Sellars hopes this latest confirmation will help educate the public on the trauma faced by Indigenous communities.

“We are continuing to uncover the truth and keeping it in the mainstream media so that every single Canadian is aware of the history and legacy of residential schools in this country,” said Sellars. “Why Indigenous people are the way that they are and how we were stripped of things that we hold so close to our heart and our balance as individuals and as a culture.”

At this time, the band has no firm date for when Phase Three of the radar search will begin.

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For more information:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Support Resources:

• KUU-US Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717
• Tsow-Tun-Le Lum: 1-866-403-3123
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society Toll-Free Line: 1-800-721-0066
• 24hr National Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419