On Monday, July 22, 2024, the Survivors’ Secretariat traveled to Ottawa and then across the bridge to Gatineau, Quebec, to meet with Deputy Minister Valerie Gideon. Our goal was to address the recent decision by Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) to quietly cut funding for the communities leading vital investigations into missing children and unmarked burials.
After our meeting with the Deputy Minister, the Board of Directors and Secretariat Lead joined supporters at Parliament Hill, where we rallied to draw media attention to the loss of funding and the disrespect shown in the announcement made to the organizations leading this critical work. During a 30-minute Zoom meeting with organizations across Canada involved in searches at former Indian Residential Schools, we discovered the new funding cuts—while all our microphones were muted, effectively leaving us voiceless.
At the rally, Survivors made it clear that they would not accept the decision as there was no communication, consultation, or framework supporting how this decision was made. Our delegation, including Survivors from Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba, Secretariat staff, intergenerational youth from southern and northern Ontario, advocates, and contractor partners all gathered at Parliament Hill to express our outrage and collective determination to reverse the funding cuts.
Our goal was to ensure Canada understands the necessity of continuing the search for missing children and unmarked burials at the Mohawk Institute and other Indian Residential Schools across Canada.
A Painful Echo of the Past
The recent funding cuts are not just a bureaucratic decision; they are a callous repetition of past injustices, and a continued reality of broken promises made to Indigenous peoples across Canada. For Survivors, they remind them of their childhood where their voices were dismissed, their suffering ignored, and where innocent children were lost to an unforgiving system.
When will Survivors voices and the memory of missing children truly be honoured by the Canadian Government?
During the era of Indian Residential Schools, the government and the churches stole children from their families, denied them a voice, muted their suffering, and ignored the abuses they were exposed to. The truth of their treatment was never spoken about until recently, and many of the deaths which occurred were never appropriately reported to their families and communities nor were they properly investigated at the time of their occurrence.
Dawn Hill, a Survivor of the Mohawk Institute, emotionally expressed the heartbreak and frustration that many Survivors feel: “This is the same neglect as in the past. The government turns their back on our communities once more. This betrayal echoes the injustices of our childhood, leaving us to wonder when our voices will truly be heard.”
The Push to Restore Federal Funding
The 2024 budget allocated only $91 million over two years to support investigations into missing children and unmarked burials across Canada. Before this announcement, the federal government was aware of 140 former Indian Residential Schools in Canada and more than 200 applicants seeking funds to lead investigations or support their Survivor communities.
This budget falls drastically short of what is needed to conduct these searches adequately and continues to reflect the troubling reality that Indian Residential Schools prioritized monetary costs over the dignity of those impacted. With just $45.5 million allocated per year, the 140 Survivor organizations previously funded under the Community Support Fund are now pitted against each other for precious resources.
Additionally, other communities are just beginning this crucial work and have yet to apply for previous funding packages, increasing the number of organizations in need of support. With the funding application deadline set for November 2024—eight months into the fiscal year—communities are left uncertain about the level of support each Survivor organization will receive. This uncertainty leaves the Survivors’ Secretariat and other organizations in limbo, making it difficult to continue the essential work needed to uncover the truth and address the legacy of these institutions.
Searching the Grounds of the Mohawk Institute
To date, the Survivors’ Secretariat has searched roughly 2% or 15 acres of the 600+ acres associated with the former Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School. The work to conduct these searches requires extremely expense equipment, time consuming research and substantial man hours to collect data during a very short search window of May- November.
The new application deadline means organizations will not receive funds until past the 2024 search season, halting ground investigations in 2024 for most Survivor organizations. With limited funds available moving forward, the Secretariat’s ability to uncover the truth about the children who died in these institutions is severely impacted. This is echoed by Survivors organizations across the country.
“The Survivors' Secretariat's commitment to truth and justice must not be compromised by federal roadblocks. Restoring funding to previous levels is essential for continuing this vital work”
Laura Arndt, Secretariat Lead.
At the rally, Survivors insisted on proper communication and self-determination in how this work proceeds. Laura Arndt, Survivors’ Secretariat Lead, captured the essence of the Survivors demands: “We want the funding back; we want proper consultation, and we want to be self-determining in how this work moves forward.”
Strength in Truth-Telling
The emotional weight of the day was evident, Indian Residential School Survivor, Sherelene Bomberry’s words capture the resolve and strength of Survivors: “The government gives, and then they pull back. I had a relationship like that once, and well, I divorced him. “We have voices, no more shushing us up. Everyone listen please, Nia:weh.”
Despite the tears, the Survivors voices remain unwavering. They were not only speaking for themselves, but for future generations who witnessed their courage and refusal to be silenced.
Diane Hill, a Survivor of the Mohawk Institute, brought forth a moving plea: “We are here today to show our children, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews that we are not afraid to tell our truth, the truth about what the Indian Residential School system did to us and how the churches in Canada collaborated in this atrocity.”
A Call for Accountability
Diane Hill told a deeply moving account of Courtland Elgin “Cody” Claus, a 4-year-old boy who passed away at the Mt. Elgin Indian Residential School and whose burial site remains unknown. These funding cuts undermine the ability of Survivors and their communities to find their loved ones and commemorate their lives. With diminished resources, Survivor organizations face a loss of capacity to conduct comprehensive investigations which can bring needed closure to their families and communities.
Intergenerational Youth, Sophia Bomberry emphasized the critical need for continued support: “We must uncover the truth of these schools to move forward and heal as a people. Our own country is fulfilling the very denialism that we are fighting against, and we simply want justice.”
The decision to cut funding not only undermines the current efforts all Indian Residential School Survivor organizations across Canada but symbolizes a broader failure to honour sacred agreements made with Indigenous communities. This betrayal continues a legacy of broken promises. It is time for Canada to acknowledge its past wrongs, fulfill its commitments, and actively work alongside Survivors to bring the children home.
“We urge all Canadians to join us in this fight—whether by voicing support on social media, writing to your MPs, or discussing these issues within your communities. Stand with us as we strive to bring our children home and ensure that our stories and experiences are respected and heard.” - Survivors’ Secretariat
Text Stand With Survivors Here
Survivors of the Mohawk Institute are calling on Canadians to stand in solidarity with Survivors of Indian Residential Schools. Contact your local Members of Parliament and demand they provide the necessary funding to support these critical initiatives.
To read more from the Secretariat’s press release or to download a copy of our editable letter that you can send to your local MP, please visit:
The Survivors’ Secretariat will be travelling to Ottawa for National Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30. We will rally on Parliament Hill at 4:30 pm to hear from Survivors and organizations leading these investigations about the need for more adequate funding to conduct these searches.
Stay tuned to the Survivors’ Secretariat’s Facebook for more information.
