An Alberta senator says Canadians deserve clear evidence when claims are made about unmarked graves at former residential schools, warning that the lack of confirmed proof fuels public skepticism and ongoing debate.Blacklock's Reporter says Scott Tannas raised the issue during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Indigenous Peoples, saying Canadians are still waiting for definitive confirmation of graves that have been widely reported in the public discussion.“How do we address deniers when we don’t have any kind of solid proof?” Tannas asked witnesses during the hearing.The senator’s comments came during testimony about the importance of commemorating burial sites linked to the residential school system. Claims that 215 children’s graves were discovered at a former school in Kamloops have not been independently confirmed.Michael DeGagné, co-chair of the National Council for Reconciliation, told senators that recognizing and commemorating burial sites remains essential to helping Canadians understand the history of residential schools.“I am here to say commemoration is a critical piece,” DeGagné said. “It is a sacred trust for all of us. We have to make sure that burial sites are commemorated. This is going to make sure the public understands what happened here.”He also warned that debates over evidence should not overshadow the broader historical record surrounding residential schools..“It’s not enough in this time of residential school denialism, for example, that we simply go after the deniers and try to silence them,” DeGagné said. “What is most important for us is to form a sound basis of truth and respond in kind every time we hear denialist rhetoric, to make sure the truth is out there and that the Canadian public understands it.”Tannas pressed the witness further, saying many Canadians remain unconvinced by the claims circulating publicly.“You mentioned commemoration and in addition burial sites,” he said. “You also talked about deniers. I want to put on the table and have you respond to the fact that, at least in the public realm, the average citizen would say there has been no proof.”“How do we get past this without actually having ‘truth,’ proof?” he asked.DeGagné replied that disputes over evidence are likely to persist.“What I think we need to acknowledge first off is there will always be deniers,” he said. “There will be deniers because it doesn’t fit their particular narrative of maybe who they are or what Canada is.”He added that the answer is not to silence critics but to ensure credible institutions continue presenting historical evidence and research.“The answer is not just simply to shout people down or to not give them the same access as everyone else has to the public square,” DeGagné said. “But we need to make sure that truth is told supported by institutions.”.The debate comes amid continuing scrutiny of historical records related to residential schools. A 2024 report by the Senate committee noted that comprehensive data confirming a figure cited by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada — that roughly 4,100 children died in residential schools — remains incomplete.The report, titled Missing Children, Missing Records, stated that many children left the schools under uncertain circumstances. “Many children ran away from the schools, disappeared, did not return home and others died,” the committee wrote.
