Staff photo. Residential School memorial
We must continue to listen and respect the survivors of the residential school system.
That’s the message being delivered by the City of Dryden in response to the horrific discovery of the remains of 215 children buried at a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Deputy Mayor Norm Bush is a member of the ‘Working Circle’, aimed at bringing the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community closer together.
“We wanted to reach out and recognize that people were suffering mentally from this discovery and we wanted to make sure that the community knew we were with them going through this difficult time.”
Bush says the tragedy does reinforce the City’s goal to educate, listen and ensure Dryden is a better place to live, work and play for everyone.
The full statement from Bush is below:
Here is the full statement from Dryden Mayor and Council:
City of Dryden Mayor and Council were deeply saddened by the horrific discovery of the remains of 215 children buried at a former residential school on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Many of the City’s residents and those in neighbouring communities are survivors of Residential Schools or the children and grandchildren of those survivors. We may never fully know the
harm that was done to individuals or to the culture of the Indigenous community, but we must do our utmost to ensure that this type of racist, destructive governance never repeats itself.
Dryden City Council strongly supports the City of Dryden Working Circle in their work to bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members closer together. Their recommendations
are reflective of the Truth and Reconciliation report and are aligned with the goals of the Dryden Area Anti Racism Network (DAARN) and other organizations that make Dryden a better
community.
Treaty #3 Territory had 6 Residential Schools:
• Fort Alexander Indian Residential School,
• McIntosh Indian Residential School,
• St. Mary’s Indian Residential School,
• Cecilia Jeffery Indian Residential School,
• Pelican Lake Indian Residential School,
• St. Margaret’s Indian Residential School.
The legacy of pain and suffering experienced at these institutions did not end when they closed. These schools existed for over 100 years and the recent discovery may not be the last.
We must continue to listen and respect the survivors of the system who found the strength and courage to bring their experiences to light.
In the interim it is the City’s goal to educate ourselves, listen to the concerns of all of our
citizens and ensure that Dryden is a better place to live, work and play for everyone.
Mayor Greg Wilson
City of Dryden
