Question Period Note: Indian Residential School sites – Unmarked Burials

• Our thoughts are with Survivors, their families and communities as the heartbreaking truth about Residential Schools unmarked burials continues to be unveiled.
• Funding is available to support communities, survivors and their families on their healing journey through researching, locating, and memorializing those children who died while attending Indian Residential Schools.

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If pressed on the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation or the National Residential School Death Register
• In 2017-18, Canada partnered with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation by investing $500K to continue the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the National Residential School Student Death Register.
• We continue this partnership through a funding arrangement of $2.6 million to further develop and maintain the National Residential School Death Register.
• We are collaborating to provide additional resources for the development of an online registry of residential school cemeteries and other burial sites (Call to Action 73).

If pressed on funding
• On August 10, 2021, the Government of Canada announced $83 million in additional investments in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Calls to Action 74-76.
• These investments supplement the $33.8 million announced in Budget 2019 for a total investment of $116.8 million, responding to Calls to Action 72 to 76.
• $9.6 million over three years is also being provided in addition to the $13.4 million over five years already announced in Budget 2021 to support initiatives that commemorate the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools.
• Canada is also investing a further $107.3 million in 2021-2022 to support the expansion of services to ensure that those impacted by intergenerational trauma will have access to supports.

If pressed on Tk'emlups te Secwépemc / Kamloops Indian Residential School site
• The Government of Canada has provided $7.9 million over two years to the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc nation to support the community in conducting this important work.

If pressed on the Creation of a National Advisory Committee
• Canada is establishing a National Advisory Committee to assist Indigenous communities in the delicate work of locating and memorializing missing children and their burial sites.
• The Committee will be a trusted source of expertise and advice to support Indigenous communities in this important work.
• In December 2021, National Indigenous Organizations, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and other stakeholders will be invited to participate in a Selection Committee to nominate members of the Committee. The Committee is anticipated to be established in January 2022.

Catholic Church financial obligations under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
• Under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the Catholic Entities committed to a number of financial obligations including a cash contribution, provision of in-kind services and doing best efforts to raise funds to support healing and reconciliation programs.
• In 2013, when an issue arose regarding deduction of undue administrative costs from amounts owed to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, Canada took steps to hold the Catholic Entities accountable.
• Through negotiation, Canada and the Catholic Entities were able to reach an agreement to reimburse the successor of the Foundation, the Legacy of Hope Foundation.