Six Nations of the Grand River, ON, July 19, 2024 – The Survivors’ Secretariat expresses profound outrage and disappointment following the recent decision to drastically cap funding for organizations investigating unmarked burials and missing children associated with Indian Residential Schools (IRS) across Canada.
The decision to impose severe funding limitations undermines the critical efforts of Survivor organizations and jeopardizes the pursuit of truth, justice, and reconciliation for Indigenous communities.
“The announcement of this funding cap comes as a devastating blow to our organization, representing a staggering 86% reduction from our annual operating budget in previous years,” stated Laura Arndt, Secretariat Lead, Survivors’ Secretariat. “This decision, four months into the fiscal year, forces us to make impossible choices, including the cancellation of vital projects and the heartbreaking prospect of laying off dedicated staff members.”
The Survivors’ Secretariat calls upon the Government of Canada to immediately reconsider and increase funding allocations for the investigation of unmarked burials and missing children associated with Indian Residential Schools.
The Survivors’ Secretariat will be sending a bus to parliament hill on Monday, July 22, 2024, where they will be reading a prepared statement urging Canada to increase funding for investigations into missing
children and unmarked burials.
The Survivors’ Secretariat remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for justice, transparency, and healing for Survivors of Indian Residential Schools and their families. We call upon Canadians from all walks of life to stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities and support efforts to uncover, document and share the truth about these tragic legacies. The Secretariat encourages all Canadians to send a letter to their MP an editable draft letter is available here. To find your local MP visit www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/search.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Tabitha Curley
Director of Communications
Survivors’ Secretariat
519-717-3539
About Survivors’ Secretariat:
The Survivors’ Secretariat is a Survivor-led initiative established in 2021. The Secretariat coordinates protocols and processes associated with the investigation into missing children and unmarked burials associated with the Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School located in Brantford, ON. The institution is the longest running Indian Residential School in Canada and it is estimated that 1 in 10 survivors attended this institution. The Survivors’ Secretariat is mandated to uncover, document and share the truth about what happened to the children at the Mohawk Institute during its 140 years of operation.