It is deeply heartbreaking to learn that the remains of hundreds of people, including children, were found in unmarked graves near the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.
Waterloo Engineering stands with the Cowessess First Nation, and with the communities, families and individuals affected by this trauma. We are saddened knowing of the pain felt for the hundreds of children at Marieval and other Canadian residential schools who never went home, saddened for the families and communities whose children were taken and could not begin to heal.
We acknowledge that these gravesites uncover the truth of what has been known for many years within communities, and confirm what was written in the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action in 2015. Our thoughts, caring and commemoration are not enough. Education and re-education are critical, and I encourage members of our community to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and note how they speak to every individual's role in moving forward.
I invite you to join with others on campus to hear the Honourable Murray Sinclair speak on June 29 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm: Truth is Hard. Reconciliation is Harder. [event link: https://uwaterloo.ca/human-rights-equity-inclusion/events/honourable-murray-sinclair-national-indigenous-history-month] Knowing and understanding Canadian history is a critical part of our country's healing.
You can also listen to Jean Becker, Senior Director, Indigenous Initiatives and Interim AVP HREI, talk about the ongoing legacy of residential schools, and the ways that we – as neighbours, friends and colleagues – have a long way to go to reach the truth. [link: https://soundcloud.com/beyond-the-bulletin/episode-90-residential-school-feridun-farewell-bike-month]
There is support for former residential school students and others affected through the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.
We encourage members of the campus community who are affected by this news and feel they need support to contact any of the following resources:
Counselling Services - 519-888-4567 ext. 32655
Here
24/7 - 1-844-437-3247
Health
Services
-
Student
Medical
Clinic - 519-888-4096
Grand
River
Hospital - 519-749-4300
St.
Mary's
Hospital - 519-744-3311
Good2Talk - 1-866-925-5454
Crisis
Services
Canada - 1-833-456-4566 or
by
text
45645
Today, the University of Waterloo will lower its flags in acknowledgement of these lives lost.
Mary Wells