A collective sense of deep sorrow is echoed in Lake Country following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a residential school in Kamloops.
And the Okanagan community is supporting calls for further investigations.
“As a past professor of archeology, I support the Indigenous leaders and experts in B.C. that are calling for the control and protection of sites of former residential schools so full investigations can be done in a similar manner to the work done by the Tk’emlups te Tecwepemc First Nation using ground-penetrating radar technology,” Mayor James Baker said.
“News of the discoveries has had a profound effect on countless individuals and families. We share the grief and hope that the truth coming to light will aid in the healing process.”
READ MORE: ‘Delicate, sensitive process:’ Expert talks on searching for burial sites with radar
The Canadian flag on the Lake Country Municipal Hall has been lowered to half-mast to express the loss that is shared across Canada.
“It is difficult to find adequate words to express the deep mourning we feel for the tragic, heartbreaking losses and intergenerational effects of the residential school system,” said a statement by the district.
The lowering of the flag is done in honour of the children that were sent to residential schools, those who died and the families and communities that were forever changed as a result of what took place in those institutions.
The district joins area schools and neighbouring municipalities which are flying their flags at half-mast too.
READ MORE: ‘Burial grounds instead of playgrounds. Heartbreaking:’ Vernon School District
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