URSU is in solidarity with Indigenous communities as they grieve the recent uncovering of the mass grave of 215 children murdered at The Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia. We are sending love and support to Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. URSU condemns the horrific and inexcusable atrocities of colonization, assimilation, and genocide. We demand that the federal government; Protestant, Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist churches; and involved parties accept responsibility and be held accountable to the reconciliation process put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. URSU, our campus community, and Canada need to commit to working on reconciliation. The harmful policies that led to the mass grave are not completely gone. Colonial policies that disproportionately harm Indigenous populations are something faced by our Indigenous members every day. Colonization is not part of our history, it is impacting our present. URSU asks the community to gather together to mourn and support each other. We must take action to decolonize our society by raising awareness of the horrific traumas imposed on indigenous communities and preventing any further harm. URSU is committed to working towards reconciliation and promoting equitable practises and policy. We commit to encouraging and supporting our non-Indigenous members in their reconciliation efforts. We commit to supporting and uplifting Indigenous members.
Visit the following website to learn more about the Truth & Reconciliation report and how you can take action in our community or contact us directly:
https://nctr.ca/records/reports/. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the Residential School system, we recommend calling the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419).
URSU Executive Committee
