Residential school cemetery in Regina turned into gathering site, memorial for survivors
Warning: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing.
The burial site of at least 35 Indigenous children who attended the Regina Indian Industrial School has become a gathering place and memorial following the discovery of remains at a residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
Regina Indian Industrial School Commemorative Association member Lisa Hein told CTV National News that the significance of the burial site, which is now protected by a white picket fence, is important.
"Whether you have a cemetery from a residential or industrial school that has five children or 215 children… the number doesn't matter, it's the fact that it happened and that children died in these schools because of the conditions they were forced to be in," Hein explained.
The Regina Indian Industrial School closed in 1910, but others in the province lasted until the 1990s.
Fred Gordon says he spent seven years being abused at Lebret Indian Industrial Residential School from 1944 to 1951. While it has been 78 years since he was forcefully removed from his home by RCMP, he says the trauma still haunts him today.
"I was nine years old, and you’re being grabbed from your yard [as] you’re playing with other kids," Gordon said. "My grandparents were out picking berries and they came back and I was gone."
Under the Indian Act, Indigenous people were forced by the Canadian government to attend residential schools. The RCMP played a major role in what survivors call kidnappings.
"They had no heart; they were heartless people, dangerous people," Gordon said.
With 146 residential schools across Canada, experts say there could be more undiscovered burial sites.
Many communities are working to protect these cemeteries, including the one at the Regina Indian Industrial School, which used to be private land.
"With it being owned privately, we had very little say as an organization as what we can do to protect the cemetery," explained Regina Indian Industrial School (RIIS) Commemorative Association Chair Sarah Longman.
The RIIS Commemorative Association worked tirelessly to get the land protected, but the private owners refused to sell.
However, various levels of government under the leadership of former Wascana-Regina MP Ralph Goodale were able to broker a unique land swap for the site involving neighbouring RCMP land.
"This was a precious piece of land to preserve and protect it," Goodale told CTV News. "It took quite a time to get the logistics done, but the RCMP were very cooperative."
With the cemetery in the hands of the RIIS Commemorative Association, Longman says its future is protected.
But she noted that having the land protected is only a small step towards reconciliation for generations of residential school survivors who grew up in fear of the RCMP.
"It was certainly something we very much welcomed, and it's a great start… it's not the reconciliation, it's a start," Longman said.
--
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

4 in custody after 'brutal' death of Quebec entrepreneur, partner in Dominica
Four people are in police custody after Quebec businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchand were found dead in Dominica.
Speaker Fergus apologizes, faces calls to resign over 'personal' video played at Ontario Liberal event
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized to MPs on Monday about a 'personal' video tribute message played this weekend at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention, but two opposition parties say that's not enough and are now calling for him to resign over his 'unacceptable' participation in a partisan event.
Prince Harry challenges U.K. government's decision to strip him of security detail when he moved to U.S.
A lawyer for Prince Harry on Tuesday challenged the British government's decision to strip him of his security detail after he gave up his status as a working member of the royal family and moved to the United States.
Canada's grocery retail sector one of the most competitive on Earth: Sobeys CEO
The top executive at Sobeys asserted on Monday that Canada has one of the most competitive grocery retail sectors on the planet -- even as Canadians continue to feel the bite of higher prices.
opinion As Trump burns through cash, powerful Republicans are rallying behind a surging candidate
With less than 50 days until Republican voters begin the process of determining their nominee to take on President Joe Biden, political analyst Eric Ham writes about a storm brewing within the GOP -- as super-donors align behind a surging candidate who could pose a threat to frontrunner Donald Trump.
These are the 5 headlines you should read this morning
The CBC announces job cuts, House Speaker Greg Fergus faces calls to resign, and a prominent Quebec businessman and his partner were found dead in the Caribbean.
George Santos is offering personalized videos for US$200
George Santos already has a new gig. The former congressman, fresh off his historic expulsion last week, has created a Cameo account where the public can pay for a personalized video message.
70-year-old Ugandan woman gives birth to twins after fertility treatment
A 70-year-old woman in Uganda has given birth to twins after receiving fertility treatment, making her one of the world's oldest new mothers.
CBC cuts could change what programming you see on TV: Tait
The CBC's president says a round of layoffs and programming cuts the broadcaster announced this week could mean changes in what viewers see on television.
W5 HIGHLIGHTS

Canadian-owned mine will begin closure in Panama after contract deemed 'unconstitutional'
A Canadian mining company is expected to begin the process of closing its multibillion-dollar operations in Panama today after weeks of civil unrest and protests from civilians fearing the ecological repercussions of its open-pit copper mine that is twice the size of Manhattan.

W5 George Chuvalo: the boxer nobody could knock down
Canadian boxing great George Chuvalo went blow-for-blow with legends, but it came at a cost. W5's Sandie Rinaldo speaks with Chuvalo's children about the damage that 93 fights did to their father's cognitive health. 'Boom Boom Chuvalo' airs Friday at 10/9 on CTV.

W5 Owners of prized historic N.S. home in legal nightmare, thanks to local government
W5 investigates: A couple buys a historic house in Nova Scotia at auction and puts hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovations, but the local government says they don't own the property.
W5 Who was the Kenora bomber?: W5 digs up clues that could reveal his identity
CTV W5 investigates the dramatic explosion that occurred in a small Canadian city after an armed bandit attempted a bank heist. W5 digs up clues that could reveal his identity.
'Understudied and unregulated': Green Party pushes to investigate asbestos in tap water
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has tabled a petition calling on the federal government to take urgent action on Canada’s aging asbestos-cement pipes due to the potential dangers of drinking tap water containing the deadly fibre.
A young race car driver from Canada is inspiring people all around the world
Austin Riley has been drawing crowds to the race track for years. But his claim to fame isn’t just being fast on the speedway, he is breaking barriers on the track for those with disabilities.
Court battle over Ontario's agriculture 'gag' laws kicks off in Toronto
A constitutional challenge of recent Ontario legislation that prevents the undercover filming of factory farms and the animals kept on them kicked off in a Toronto courthouse on Monday morning.
Despite perilous circumstances, incredible acts of humanity taking place amid Israel-Hamas war
The images and stories coming out of the war between Israel and Hamas are horrifying. Millions around the world have scrolled through the tragic scenes posted on social media with a growing sense of despair. It’s easy to forget that amongst so much inhumanity, incredible acts of humanity are taking place