Former Kamloops Indian Residential School designated a national historic site

The former Kamloops Indian Residential School, where Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc revealed in 2021 that a ground-penetrating radar survey had identified approximately 200 potential unmarked graves, has now been designated as a national historic site. This significant step was initiated by Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, with the federal government collaborating with the First Nation to ascertain the site’s historical importance, according to a news release from Parks Canada.

National historic sites are chosen to represent locations that have played a pivotal role in shaping Canada’s history, whether positive or negative, in order to help Canadians gain a deeper understanding of the country’s past and present. Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Kúkpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir expressed that the designation symbolizes hope and the ancestral vision for a prosperous future for upcoming generations.

The former residential school, operational from 1890 to 1969, transitioned to federal government administration after the Catholic Church, running it as a day school until its closure in 1978. The site’s preserved buildings are utilized for educational purposes, particularly focused on Secwépemc language and culture.

With up to 500 students enrolled at any given time, the Kamloops Indian Residential School drew children from diverse First Nations communities in British Columbia and beyond. This institution was just one among many residential and day schools across Canada, where over 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were compelled to attend government-funded, church-run institutions between the 1870s and 1997.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation approximates that around 4,100 children perished in Canadian residential schools, based on available death records, though the actual number is believed to be much higher. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has highlighted that a significant number of Indigenous children who were forcibly taken to these schools never returned home.

Several other former residential schools, such as Muscowequan, Portage La Prairi, Shingwauk, and Shubenacadie, have also been designated as national historic sites. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault emphasized that bestowing this designation upon the Former Kamloops Indian Residential School acknowledges the atrocities committed against those who were compelled to attend the institution.

Guilbeault further stated that the designation serves as a tribute and memorial to the children who suffered and perished at the school, with their stories leaving a lasting impact on future generations. This recognition of the site’s historical significance underscores the importance of remembering and honoring the legacy of those who were impacted by the residential school system.