Every Child Matters

After the announcement of the tragic discovery of the remains of 215 children buried on the site of the former residential school in Kamloops, we wish to offer our sincere condolences to the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc and to all local First Nations - and to everyone impacted by residential schools in Canada. This news deeply saddens us, and our thoughts are with your community and families, and with all affected communities at this time.

We hope that this announcement, and all of the connected issues it has raised to prominence, will encourage each of us to learn more about our country's past, and find ways to apply the lessons we learn to come together in reconciliation to build a better future.

Some sources of support that are available for anyone affected by these latest reports or the lingering affects of residential schools include:

• The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-721-0066
• Within BC, the KUU-US Crisis Line Society provides a First Nations and Indigenous-specific toll free line 24/7 at 1-800-588-8717 or online at kuu-uscrisisline.com
• Nationally, the Indian Residential School Crisis Line supports former students and those affected 24/7 at 1-866-925-4419 to access emotional and crisis referral services.

Don Nettleton
Chief Executive Officer