Local volunteers have set up an ongoing memorial in front of Sackville Town Hall dedicated to the 215 Indigenous children whose bodies were recently discovered in an unmarked mass grave at a residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Anyone is welcome and encouraged to bring children’s shoes as part of the memorial, or any other token of respect.
All shoes will be donated afterwards.
Memorials are coming together all across the country, including the Shubenacadie Residential School in Nova Scotia, the Maritimes’ only residential school.
That school is currently under a similar investigation as the one in Kamloops, led by the Mi’kmaq-Nova Scotia-Canada Tripartite Forum. Ground-penetrating, non-invasive technology is being used to search the site, and so far no remains have been discovered.
Anyone struggling with recent events can call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society 24/7 at 1-800-721-0066.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24/7 at 1-866-925-4419.
There are trained counsellors available for youth by text (686868) or phone (1-800-668-6868), also 24/7.
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