Unmarked burials found on site of former Manitoba residential school

A First Nation in Manitoba said they have discovered "indication of human remains" on the site of a former residential school.

A First Nation in Manitoba said it has discovered "indication of human remains" on the site of a former residential school.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation announced Friday that after three days of searching, they had found unmarked burials at the former grounds of MacKay Residential School, located 11 kilometres northwest of The Pas.

The community said human remains detection dogs were involved in the search and indicated "six areas of interest" that may have more than one unmarked burial.

Chief Maureen Brown called the discovery shocking.

"It's one thing to read about it, it's one thing to realize these discoveries were made in other communities, but it's a whole different level of loss and grief when it's your own community," Brown said.

Brown said many families who had children attend residential schools did not know if their children died until they didn't come home at the end of the school year.

"As far as I'm concerned, (it's) absolutely barbaric and unacceptable," she said.