PanamaTimes

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025

More Than 750 Unmarked Graves Found Near Indigenous School In Canada as another evidence for the genocide that founded the country

More Than 750 Unmarked Graves Found Near Indigenous School In Canada as another evidence for the genocide that founded the country

"As of yesterday, we have hit 751 unmarked graves" at the site of the former Marieval boarding school in Saskatchewan province, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme told reporters

More than 750 unmarked graves have been found near a former Catholic boarding school for indigenous children in western Canada, a tribal leader said Thursday, the second such shock discovery in a month.

The revelation once again cast a spotlight on a dark chapter in Canada's history, and revived calls on the Pope and the church to apologize for the abuse and violence suffered at the schools, where students were forcibly assimilated into the country's dominant culture.

"As of yesterday, we have hit 751 unmarked graves" at the site of the former Marieval boarding school in Saskatchewan province, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme told reporters. "This is not a mass grave site. These are unmarked graves."

He said that the graves may at one time have been marked, but "Catholic Church representatives removed these headstones," adding that doing so is a crime in Canada and they were treating the gravesites "as a crime scene."

Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron described the finding as "a crime against humanity."

"The world is watching Canada as we unearth the findings of genocide," he said.

"We had concentration camps here... Canada will be known as the nation that tried to exterminate the First Nations."

Excavations at the Marieval school, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the provincial capital Regina, began at the end of May, after the discovery of the remains of 215 schoolchildren at another former indigenous residential school in British Columbia.

After the discovery of the remains at the Kamloops school, excavations were undertaken near several former institutions for indigenous children across Canada, with the assistance of government authorities.

Some 150,000 Native American, Metis and Inuit children were forcibly recruited until the 1990s in 139 of these residential schools across Canada, where they were isolated from their families, their language and their culture.

Many were subjected to ill-treatment and sexual abuse, and more than 4,000 died in the schools, according to a commission of inquiry that concluded Canada had committed "cultural genocide" against the indigenous communities.

Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said the discovery of the Saskatchewan site was "absolutely tragic, but not surprising."

"I urge all Canadians to stand with First Nations in this extremely difficult and emotional time," Bellegarde said.

- 'Multiple locations' -


The Marieval residential school in eastern Saskatchewan hosted indigenous children between 1899 and 1997 before being demolished and replaced by a day school.

One former student, Barry Kennedy, told the broadcaster CBC he was shocked by the news but not surprised.

"During my time at Marieval Indian Residential School, I had a young friend that was dragged off one night screaming," he said, adding that he never saw the child again.

"His name was Bryan... I want to know where Bryan is," Kennedy said.

He described a history of violence at the school.

"We were introduced to rape. We were introduced to violent beatings. We were introduced to things that weren't normal with our families," he said.

And he said he imagined that the graves found so far were just the tip of the iceberg: "By the stories that... were told by our friends and fellow students, there are multiple locations, you know, per school."

Many Aboriginal community leaders expect more grisly discoveries in the coming months. Searches have already turned up possible unmarked burial sites in Ontario and Manitoba provinces.

"We will find more bodies and we will not stop till we find all of our children," Cameron said at the press conference.

"We all must put down our ignorance and accidental racism at not addressing the truth that this country has with indigenous people," said Delorme.

"This country must stand by us."

In early June, a few days after the discovery of the bones in Kamloops, UN human rights experts urged Ottawa and the Vatican to conduct a full and prompt investigation into the discovery.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
El Salvador Proposes Prisoner Exchange with Venezuela Amid Deportation Controversy
US Government Defends Deportation of Salvadoran National Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A casino in Mexico burns at the hands of cartels
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
"Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
US Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Rapid Deportation Policy
U.S. State Department Raises El Salvador’s Safety Ranking, Making It Safer Than France and Other European Nations
U.S. and Panama Finalize Defense Agreements Amid Canal Access and Chinese Influence Concerns
China Stands Firm Amidst Trade Disputes with the US: A Factual Analysis
Helicopter crashes from the sky in NYC with four people aboard.
Spain Encounters Nationwide Demonstrations Amid Rising Housing Crisis
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
Global Markets Dive as U.S.-China Trade Disputes Intensify
Tom Cruise Honors Val Kilmer at CinemaCon
OpenAI Attains Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Argentina’s “Magician” or a PR Illusion? “Individuals Are Sifting Through Garbage and Resting on the Streets”
Ecuador Gears Up for Influx of US Military as Measures Intensify Against Violent Drug Cartels
The Trump Administration Withdraws Legal Status for More than 530,000 Immigrants from Four Nations.
Deportation of Alleged Venezuelan Gang Members to El Salvador Raises Legal and Human Rights Concerns
Leaders of the US and Ukraine Hold Constructive Discussion During Ongoing Crisis
US Federal Reserve Revises Down Economic Growth Projections Due to Tariff Ambiguities
EU Charges US Tech Giants with Violating Digital Regulations
Trump Administration's Deportation of Alleged Gang Members Sparks Legal Dispute
Intense Tornadoes and Dust Storms Result in 33 Deaths Throughout Central and Southern United States
CK Hutchison, led by Li Ka-shing, encounters backlash from China regarding the sale of Panama Canal ports to a consortium led by BlackRock.
Meta to Introduce Community Notes Feature in March as Part of New Content Moderation Approach
Trump's ambassador nominee confirmed Canada's sovereignty during trade disputes.
The ICC’s retaliation on behalf of drug traffickers against Philippine President Duterte, who took a stand against them and shielded 100 million Filipinos from the drugs-death trade—overlooking the reality that every triumph carries its own price.
Mark Carney Selected as Leader of Canada's Liberal Party, Poised to Assume the Role of Prime Minister
Pope Francis Displays Signs of Recovery, Yet His Hospitalization Persists.
Trump Administration Unveils Self-Deportation App for Undocumented Immigrants
Trump Administration Plans New Travel Ban Including Afghanistan and Pakistan
Global Scam Syndicate Capitalizes on Fraudulent Celebrity Advertisements to Deceive Thousands
Devastating Passing of 20-Year-Old American Bodybuilder Sparks Health Worries
Microsoft to Sunset Skype in May, Prioritizing Teams as Communication Evolves
Katy Perry Set to Join All-Female Crew for Blue Origin Flight
Apple Resolves iPhone Dictation Bug That Linked 'Racist' to 'Trump'
Proposal Introduced for $250 Bill Featuring Donald Trump
Research Examines Possible Connection Between COVID-19 Vaccines and Post-Vaccination Syndrome
Latin America News Update: Gatherings, Legal Conflicts, and Economic Developments
Vatican Declares Pope Francis' Health Status as 'Critical'
Mexico Suggests Constitutional Amendments to Protect Sovereignty Following U.S. Terrorist Labels on Cartels
Tequila Sector Faces Oversupply Challenge as Agave Prices Fall Sharply
Pope Francis Continues His Hospital Stay While Doctors Treat Complicated Infection
AI Giants Contest Nvidia's Supremacy with Emerging Chip Innovations
California's CalExit Movement Grows Momentum Amid Political and Economic Discourse in the State
×