Every Child Matters
A message from Dr. Brian Postl, Dean and Vice-Provost, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
We are deeply saddened and heartbroken about the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children found in Kamloops. B.C. at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
We send our deepest condolences to all families and loved ones of the innocent victims of this terrible tragedy. We acknowledge the enormous suffering and trauma of survivors of residential schools, and their families, in Manitoba and across Canada.
The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences wants to offer our condolences and our support to Indigenous learners, faculty and staff -particularly Elder Margaret Lavallee, a residential school survivor – who may be affected by the heaviness of this finding while already dealing with the weight of the inquiry into the death of Joyce Echaquan and systemic racism in health care. Please offer a prayer/ thoughts to them during this devastating time.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report cited large numbers of children who were sent to residential schools and went missing, but many families were never informed of what happened. This is unconscionable. We continue as a faculty to be committed to change, disruption of all forms of racism, and equitable health care for all Indigenous peoples. We are also accountable for working to change our current systems of education and cultures to acknowledge and dismantle anti-Indigenous racism. As a faculty, we are addressing the health-related calls to action outlined in the TRC report and support reconciliation with structural changes, actions and words.