Access to residential school records an ongoing challenge, people tell unmarked burials gathering
CBC
Accessing records is one of the biggest challenges in locating unmarked burials and identifying missing children from residential schools, survivors and experts say.
"The current systems and structures are failing us," said Kimberly Murray, special interlocutor for missing children and unmarked graves and burial sites associated with residential schools, in her closing remarks following the inaugural national gathering on unmarked burials.
The gathering took place Sept. 13-14 in Edmonton, bringing together over 300 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders and survivors, families, and communities that have embarked on burial site searches.
On Wednesday, four rapporteurs presented summaries of what was said and heard during breakout sessions the day before on issues related to records and archives, search technology, investigations, and protecting and accessing residential school sites. Each session heard from three experts and knowledge holders.
Tanya Talaga, an Anishinaabe journalist, was one of the rapporteurs tasked with presenting the session that asked what records are out there, what are they, and how do you access them?
"These are big questions we've been hearing a lot about so far for the last two days and I don't know if we're going to find any answers in this particular session," said Talaga.
Last year, Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta formed the Acimowin Opaspiw Society to investigate possible burial sites at the Blue Quills residential school, and formed a reconciliation partnership with the Catholic Church in order to access records.
Leah Redcrow, director of stakeholder engagement for the Acimowin Opaspiw Society, talked about the steps taken to form the partnership including drafting and signing non-disclosure agreements, getting adequate data management, and getting a band council resolution.
"The goal of reconciliation partnerships is to restore harmony between the people the entities represent," said Talaga.
"Why is this a good idea? It is important to note that the Catholic Church is not compelled or required to provide records…. Each archdiocese makes that decision, and you need those records to conduct your investigations."
The records are guarded, she said, but all life events of residential school students were recorded in the parish, not the residential schools.
Representatives from the federal government and churches had an opportunity to respond to what was presented by the rapporteurs.
Marion Haggarty-France, mission advancement senior lead at the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, also acknowledged the complicated structures of the Catholic Church.
"What we need to do is simplify some of those structures and make it much easier for our communities to access," she said.