Kimberly Murray will release her final report on missing children and unmarked graves on Tuesday

Residential school survivors, indigenous leaders and supporters gather Tuesday in Gatineau, Que., as the latest meeting takes place at the office of the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Grounds affiliated with Indian residential schools.

Special interlocutor Kimberly Murray is scheduled to release her final report at the meeting, as well as present an Indigenous-led reparations framework.

“The truths I have heard must form the basis for a new legal framework that allows for the dignified and proper recovery, protection and honor of missing and missing children and their burial,” Murray wrote in the rally program.

“The disappearance and death of thousands of indigenous children is the ultimate act of injustice. Under international law, survivors, indigenous families and communities who are victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and mass human rights violations have the right to know the truth and have the right to redress for these egregious harms.”

2-year term

From 1870 to 1997, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. As of 2021, the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation documented over 4,100 child deaths in schools.

Following the discovery of potential unmarked graves on former residential school sites, Murray was appointed to the position in 2022 for a two-year term to identify measures and recommendations for a new federal regulatory framework for unmarked graves and burial sites.

Murray, a member of Kanehsatà:ke, a Mohawk community northwest of Montreal, has held national meetings in Montreal, Iqaluit, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton over the past two years.

In July, Murray published a report entitled Places of truth, places of consciencewhich stated that the history of burial sites of residential schools constitutes evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity, which could theoretically be prosecuted.

Justice Minister Arif Virani will be present at Tuesday’s gathering.

Neither Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree nor Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu would comment on whether Canada should pay reparations before the report’s release.

“Canada has a long history of brutal colonialism that has led to much suffering, and Canada has paid reparations for a number of other harms,” ​​Hajdu said on Monday.

“I think these are issues that need to be addressed in conversations with First Nations people, but I can say that I think reparations are only part of the work ahead.”

Anandasangaree said he looked forward to receiving and reading Murray’s report.

“As a government, we have been addressing many issues since 2015, including childhood harm caused by federal government policy failures, and we will continue to do so,” Anandasangaree said on Monday.

The release of the Indigenous-led reparations framework at 1 p.m. ET will be streamed live on the special interlocutor’s Facebook page.

A national Indian residential school crisis line has been established to provide support to former students and those affected. You can access emotional and crisis support services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Mental health counseling and crisis support are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or via online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca .