Many disappointed after Canada caps residential school funding

The federal government’s decision to impose a cap for residential school searches across the country has many angered and disappointed.

Residential Schools were used to assimilate Indigenous Peoples into settler society, often run by the Catholic Church, with support from the federal government.

Communities could previously receive $3 million per year through the Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund, but now funding will be capped at $500,000 – a breakdown of $300,000 for fieldwork and $200,000 for research.

READ MORE: Manitoba Chiefs decry reduced federal funds for residential school searches

“I think it’s disingenuous and rather disgusting to now come and say we are going to limit how much you can get and basically control how you are able to look for the remains of the 10s of thousands of children who didn’t come home,” said Kyle Mason, Indigenous speaker and advocate.

“It does not really seem to be true nation-to-nation respect for relationships. It just seems to be yet another way of control and colonization.”

Adding, “These children need to come home and the government needs to change their minds and they need to do the right thing. They need to be more concerned about justice and reconciliation, rather than budgets.”

The fund was created following the discovery of 215 children on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

Ottawa said the funds were reduced in order to take a better approach which provides money to as many community-led projects. 

“I hope there is a mechanism to be able to appeal this and hopefully they will rescind their decision,” said Katherine Strongwind, the director of 60s Scoop Legacy of Canada.

Strongwind says it’s important to support the survivors in the wake of this decision.

“I think they need to hear from survivors and from communities about how this has impacted them because they did not do that due diligence in consultation beforehand.”

Earlier this week, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs criticized Ottawa’s decision saying the decision is disrespectful to survivors and families. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation says they are deeply concerned by the decision.

“We will be there to work with Indigenous communities, and we will be there to ensure that it moves in a way that makes every Manitoban and every Canadian proud of this place that we call home and recognizes that part of why we love this country and this province so much, is because the project of defining who we are is not complete,” said Premier Wab Kinew.