Richmond buildings and schools have lowered their flags in memory of the 215 children whose lives were lost at a former Kamloops residential school.
On Thursday, May 28, the remains of 215 children were found buried at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, which at one point was the largest in the Indian Affairs residential school system, which held children taken from families across the country.
The remains were confirmed with the help of ground-penetrating radar with the possibility of more bodies to be found because of the huge area on the school grounds, said Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation in a news release on Friday.
Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie described this news as a “tragedy of insurmountable proportions” which impacts all Canadians.
“Now is a time of reflection and I urge everyone to remember the 215 children whose lives were taken at the former residential school as well as the survivors, their families and the many others who never returned home,” said Brodie.
Sandra Nixon, Richmond School District trustee, posted on Twitter that all the schools in Richmond will also be lowering their flags in “respect for the Indigenous communities who are grieving.”
The flags will be flown at half-mast for the next week.
-with files from Kristen Holliday/Castanet and the Canadian Press
