Hardest Chapter
A note before you read
This chapter describes the harm done to Indigenous children. It may be painful to read, especially for residential school survivors and their families. In Canada, the Indian Residential School Crisis Line offers support at 1-866-925-4419.
The Kamloops Indian Residential School
The Kamloops Indian Residential School opened in 1890 and operated until 1978. It was run by the Catholic Church for most of its history, and the federal government of Canada funded it and later took over its running. It was one of the largest schools in the residential school system, which took Indigenous children from their families and communities across Canada.
What was done to the children
The purpose of the system was to separate children from their families, languages and cultures. Children were often forbidden to speak their own languages. Many suffered hunger, neglect, and physical and sexual abuse. Families were left without their children, and the harm was passed on through generations.
2021: the children who did not come home
On May 27, 2021, Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc announced that ground-penetrating radar had found what are believed to be the remains of 215 children on the grounds of the former school. Survivors and families had long spoken of children who never came home. The announcement drew attention across Canada and around the world, and it was the Secwépemc community that led the search and shared the news.
A legacy that continues
Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which reported in 2015, documented the system and its harm, and issued Calls to Action. Survivors, families and communities continue to carry that legacy, and to seek truth, accountability and healing.