Ways for settlers to offer supportAs more and more mass graves are uncovered on the sites of Canada's former Residential "Schools", and the full horror of this atrocity comes undeniably to light, some Canadians may be feeling shocked. Not in the sense of "surprised" but in the sense of "frozen" or "stuck".
Members and friends of FirstU: If you have no idea what you can do to support Indigenous people in their pursuit of justice and healing, here are some places to start:
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- Parents of kids under twelve: The Kids' RE Lesson for June 6 asks you to honour the children whose lives were lost at the hands of Canada's residential school system. Here is a list of books to read with your kids in order to start the conversations your memorial will invite.
- Letter Writers: This list of ten things you can do includes three things to write your MP about - including access to clean and potable drinking water on Reserves, minimum standards of housing for all Indigenous people, and forensic searching of all residential school sites.
- Reparations: Here is a list of Indigenous organizations that could use your financial support. In particular, consider donating monthly to the Legacy of Hope Foundation and the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
These actions are only starting points. There is much farther to go from here. As always, listen to Indigenous people - whether on social media or through a platform like CBC Indigenous - and follow their lead.
CUC Statement - following the discovery of a children's mass grave on the site of kamloops indian residential school
Canadian Unitarian Universalists share the grief and sorrow over the recent discovery of the remains of 215 children on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. We are profoundly shaken, while recognizing that sadly it does not come as a shock to many Indigenous families across the country.
The discovery further shows the immense harm done by the residential school system and the effects that continue to be felt today. This is genocide, and there are remains of children and youth at almost every former residential school site. It is a start, but not enough, for the government to offer reparations for the 215 children; we urge that it must be a priority to recover the remains of all the other lost children.
The CUC committed in 2014 to upholding the recommendations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and we reaffirm our support for implementing this, as well as the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as the best means of addressing the injustices Indigenous people in Canada face.
We encourage Canadians to write to their Member of Parliament to press for action that will help repair some of the harm done, to consider donating to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, and to continue the work to educate ourselves about the history and impact of the residential school system.
Together we must ensure that every child matters and no children are forgotten.
The discovery further shows the immense harm done by the residential school system and the effects that continue to be felt today. This is genocide, and there are remains of children and youth at almost every former residential school site. It is a start, but not enough, for the government to offer reparations for the 215 children; we urge that it must be a priority to recover the remains of all the other lost children.
The CUC committed in 2014 to upholding the recommendations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and we reaffirm our support for implementing this, as well as the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as the best means of addressing the injustices Indigenous people in Canada face.
We encourage Canadians to write to their Member of Parliament to press for action that will help repair some of the harm done, to consider donating to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society, and to continue the work to educate ourselves about the history and impact of the residential school system.
Together we must ensure that every child matters and no children are forgotten.
