Poilievre seeks unmarked graves probe in Kamloops

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said Parliament must fund a full investigation into longstanding claims of unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “We should provide the resources to allow for a full investigation into the potential remains at Residential Schools,” said Poilievre at a press conference. “Canadians deserve to know the truth.”While the Canadian government might want to ignore the truth, Poilievre said Conservatives prefer historical accuracy. However, he admitted none of this changes residential schools being an appalling abuse of power by the Canadian government and the churches at the time. “We need to move forward in a country that is free so that every single Canadian, whether their ancestry goes back tens of thousands of years or whether they have been here for 10 days, has the freedom to live their life in prosperity and happiness,” he said. Shockwaves hit First Nations communities in Canada and investigations began after the alleged remains of 215 children were found buried on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School in 2021. Cabinet funded a $7.9 million search of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. No remains have been found or disinterred to date. Cabinet approved $3.1 million for the Residential Schools Student Death Register and another $238.8 million for a Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund that expires in 2025. No authorities have explained the lack of a full investigation at Kamloops. The Senate Indigenous Peoples Committee said in a report in July Parliament should take steps against residential school denialism, but it did not elaborate.