York Region municipalities mourn children found at Kamloops residential school

Cities, towns have lowered flags in memory of 215 Indigenous children found on grounds of former residential school in British Columbia

Yorkregion.com
June 2, 2021
Simone Joseph

York Region municipalities have lowered flags at city and town facilities in memory of the 215 Indigenous children found on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti will be speaking about this and holding a moment of silence at next week's council meeting, said Jennifer Yap, Markham’s media relations co-ordinator.

Flags at Markham City facilities were lowered Monday.

“Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and we reaffirm our long-standing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples,” said the city’s press release.

Operational from 1890 to 1969, the Kamloops school was at one point the largest of more than 130 in Canada’s residential school system. The federal government then took over administration, operating it as a day school until it closed in 1978. 

A City of Vaughan tweet says at the request of Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, flags at all Vaughan facilities were lowered to half mast Monday, May 31, for nine days in memory of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit children discovered at residential school grounds in Kamloops. The post also says: "Every child matters.”

Flags at all Town of Newmarket and Central York Fire Services buildings are flying at half-mast until June 8 for a total of 215 hours -- one hour to represent each life that was lost.

“On behalf of the Town of Newmarket, I would like to extend my condolences to the Chippewas of Georgina Island and all Indigenous communities across Canada upon the discovery of the 215 children buried on the Kamloops residential school site,” says Mayor John Taylor in a press release.

“Words cannot describe the intergenerational trauma that so many Indigenous communities have experienced as a result of the residential school legacy. This loss of innocent lives is a reminder that we as a community need to do more to raise awareness of the past, acknowledge the harm that has been done, and work toward a better relationship with Indigenous people and communities.

"As a town, we will continue to work with our Indigenous partners to do more and to do better.”

The Town of Newmarket is situated on the traditional territories of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe peoples, whose presence here continues to this day. “We honour and acknowledge this land and its people and join other Canadian communities in offering our deepest condolences to all Indigenous communities during this difficult time,” the press release says.

Whitchurch- Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt also asked that the flags of the town be lowered until June 8, he said.

The town of East Gwillimbury and City of Richmond Hill also lowered flags at municipal facilities to honour the children found in a mass grave.

Aurora has joined in lowering flags at all town facilities.

“I was both horrified and heartbroken to hear about the tragic discovery of the remains of 215 children buried on the Kamloops Indian residential school grounds,” said Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas. "Our condolences and prayers are extended to the families of the victims and to the Indigenous community. The Town of Aurora grieves with you,” he said.