Survivors’ Secretariat denied funding to continue search for missing children, unmarked graves

The Survivors’ Secretariat, an organization leading efforts to investigate Canada’s oldest and longest-running residential school, is facing financial jeopardy after being denied federal funding. The denial, received in the early hours of the morning on Jan. 23, 2025, has left the organization scrambling to understand why their funding request was rejected.

Laura Arndt, the lead at the Survivors’ Secretariat, expressed confusion over the government’s decision, as their own audits contradict Canada’s accounting. While Canada claims the organization has $4.2 million in unspent funds, Arndt maintains that they have already used their surplus of $2.5 million to continue operating until the end of the fiscal year.

The Mohawk Institute in Brantford, Ont., also known as the Mush Hole, has a dark history of abuse and neglect towards the children who attended the residential school. The secretariat has documented 101 deaths at the institute and has been working diligently to uncover the truth about missing children and unmarked burials.

Roberta Hill, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute and a board member of the secretariat, expressed shock at Canada’s implication that the organization may have misused funds. She emphasized that the secretariat has been transparent and accountable for all expenditures and is dedicated to finding justice for survivors.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree did not directly address the concerns raised by the secretariat but stated that it is a normal part of the verification process to ensure funds are spent in accordance with the terms and conditions of funding agreements.

The Trudeau government established the Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund in 2022 with a commitment to finding missing children. However, Arndt accused the government of breaking that promise and suggested that the denial of funding may be retaliatory for speaking out against the government.

The Mohawk Village Memorial Park project, a commemoration initiative led by the secretariat, is now on hold due to the funding confusion. Arndt is concerned that Canada’s message is “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” implying that funding may be cut off for those who criticize the government.

The survivors of the Mohawk Institute are seeking the truth about the atrocities that occurred at the residential school and the whereabouts of missing children. They are calling on the government to honor its commitment to stand with survivors and support their efforts to uncover the truth.

As the Survivors’ Secretariat navigates this financial setback, they are determined to continue their work in seeking justice and healing for the survivors of the Mohawk Institute and all residential school survivors across Canada.