Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Amandalina Letterio

KAMLOOPS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL

NDP Leader’s presence gives Indigenous community, survivors ‘a sense of hope’

Jul 29, 2021 | 4:24 PM

KAMLOOPS – “I’m struck by how hard it is to be here… a lot harder than I thought it would be…”

That was the federal leader of the NDP party’s reaction today when he visited the Kamloops Residential School.

It has been more than two months since 215 unmarked graves were found near the former Kamloops Residential School. Thursday, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was the first federal party leader to visit since the discovery.

“They just wanted to just come and meet with us and kind of get some updates as to where we’re at and looking at ways how to politically advocate and support us and mostly just to listen to us and what we’re looking for whether it’s from the province or the federal government,” said T’Kemlups Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir.

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Singh is urging the Liberal government to fulfill its pledge to calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He says its Canada’s responsibility to provide the funding necessary to heal the trauma.

“It’s really really critical that we invite all Canadians and British Columbians to join and echo that call for justice to ensure that we can continue our healing journey and bring closure,” added Anemki Wedom, a residential school survivor who is still in the process of ingesting the trauma and starting to heal.

Indigenous people continue to suffer as more remains are discovered all over Canada. Singh says there needs to be more than an apology or an acknowledgement to reconcile, there needs to be action.

“There’s a reason why disproportionately Indigenous people are faced with poverty and faced with homelessness – they are survivors of immense trauma. So I’ve met with a number of Indigenous community organizations that are calling for an Indigenous by Indigenous housing strategy particularly in urban centres,” said Singh, adding it should begin immediately.

The NDP leader is also calling for clean drinking water for all Indigenous communities and to ensure every Indigenous child is brought home.

Kukpi7 Casimir said Singh’s presence reiterated the importance of the Indigenous community’s asks and takes them to a higher level.

The visit gave survivors and the community optimism about the future.

“The individuals that he did get to meet with throughout our organization, and some community members that came out to meet him, felt a sense of hope to carry that voice,” Kukpi7 Casimir said.