St. Bruno's Indian Residential School Ground-Penetrating-Radar Report Released
JOUSSARD, AB, June 23, 2023 /CNW/ - Sucker Creek First Nation Chief Roderick Willier and Driftpile Cree Nation Chief Dwayne Laboucan welcomed over 400 registered Survivors, Descendants, and Community Members – from across Treaty 8 – to the St. Bruno's Indian Residential School Gathering. This Gathering was rescheduled to June 23rd through June 25th due to the recent wildfire state of emergency across Alberta.
In his opening remarks, Driftpile Cree Nation Chief Dwayne Laboucan stated:
"This afternoon's Indian Residential School Gathering is being held on the site of the former St. Bruno's Indian Residential School, a site where 1.13 acres was surveyed by the UofA in the Summer of 2022 (Phase 1). This survey work used advanced ground-penetrating-radar technologies and data analysis to identify locations that have a high potential for containing unmarked graves.
The UofA's Summary Report, released publicly today, speaks for itself and is why we are here now – to honour those who never made it home, make sure they are never forgotten, and to hopefully allow all Canadians to learn from the tragedies and horrific mistakes of the past.
Words of sorrow and grief are often heard, and appreciated, but we also need to see meaningful actions and a change in attitude among many…and we encourage our neighbours to walk with us on a true and impactful journey of reconciliation in the years ahead.
The trauma and pain of our shared experiences is not just a part of history, they have and are continuing to be transferred intergenerationally and – without doubt – the residential school legacy continues to affect our People to this day," Chief Laboucan concluded.
Chief Roderick Willier, also Grand Chief of the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council, began his remarks with an emotional and solemn acknowledgment:
"I attended St. Bruno's, and to read the numbers of 'Possible Graves,' 'Probable Graves,' 'Likely Graves' which have been identified by the UofA researchers has been incredibly painful and emotional for me. But so too are the oral testimonies and records we have systematically been collecting from Survivors and other sources over the years on the horrific treatment all us kids had to endure. At times it was terrible, for me much of it remains unspeakable.
The St. Bruno's site we are standing on this afternoon is sacred and hallowed ground for our People, and lands that must not be disrespected as they have by some in the past…whether unintentionally or not.
Rather than repatriating the remains of our loved ones, our precious little ones, as some have suggested...many of us now strongly believe that the former residential school site itself is what needs to be repatriated. This, to further empower our People on the very site that was meant to disempower our children, our families, and our communities.
Chief Willier concluded: I am among those who believe this needs to happen so that we truly honour those who never made it home and allow them to respectfully, and with dignity, find true and lasting peace."
The University of Alberta's Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology was contacted/ engaged by the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council (LSLIRC), Sucker Creek First Nation and Driftpile Cree Nation to undertake an advanced ground-penetrating-radar geophysical search for unmarked graves at the former site of the St. Bruno's Indian Residential School in Joussard, Alberta. Much of the technical data was obtained in the Summer of 2022 and has been undergoing rigorous analysis and interpretation since it was collected.
On March 7, 2023, the University of Alberta's Dr. Kisha Supernant and Talisha Chaput were in the Lesser Slave Lake region, and provided two in-camera Project Update Presentations to Residential School Survivors, Elders, family members and leadership from Sucker Creek First Nation and Driftpile Cree Nation…each presentation lasting about 2-1/2 hours and with about 125-150 participants in attendance at each session.
The sessions were chaired by Sucker Creek First Nation Chief Roderick Willier and Driftpile Cree Nation Chief Dwayne Laboucan, respectively, and Shane Pospisil, LSLIRC's Executive Director was also in attendance to respond to questions from the participants.
While the information presented on the locations and numbers of Possible Graves, Probable Graves, and Likely Graves identified was not released publicly at that time, the plan was always to release this information at a much larger outdoor Gathering, originally over the May Long Weekend, but since rescheduled to June 23rd through June 25th due to the wildfires.
- Final Summary of the Phase 1 Ground-Penetrating-Radar Search at Joussard Mission, AB (January 20, 2023)
SOURCE Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council (LSLIRC)
All media enquiries and/or off-site requests for an electronic copy of the Final Summary of the Phase 1 Ground-Penetrating-Radar Search at Joussard Mission, AB (January 20, 2023), should be directed to: Shane Pospisil, Executive Director, Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council (LSLIRC), Phone: (780) 860-5100 / Email: [email protected]
Share this article