The Green Party of British Columbia, express concerns over the issues the indigenous communities are facing in the country. 

The party's statement said that five years ago, British Columbians learned of news that can only be described as horrific: the discovery of unmarked and undocumented burials at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. 

This day is a reminder of the tragedy of residential schools—a tragedy that was led by the Crown. It’s clear this is a reality that some in this country have still yet to fully grasp, but that so many First Nations still feel to this day. For many survivors, it is a trauma that spans generations. 

About 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools. These schools were funded by the Canadian government and operated by churches. At residential schools, horrific abuse took place in an attempt to commit what the Truth and Reconciliation Committee has called a “cultural genocide.” 

The news out of Kamloops five years ago shocked not only Canada to its core, but the world. The country is only now beginning to reckon with the Crown’s treatment of Indigenous Peoples. For survivors of residential schools, the BC Greens are here to listen and hold the Crown accountable for its past, present, and future.

This day should be a reminder to reflect on the atrocities and recognize how much more work we all have ahead of us to address the impacts. 

Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals face a severe, systemic crisis of violence, accounting for approximately 16% of female homicides despite making up less than 5% of the population; many First Nations across the country don’t have access to clean drinking water; and, housing, addiction services, telecommunications, and health care in First Nations communities still remain chronically underfunded.

Indigenous Peoples, in spite of these tragedies, have exemplified the utmost strength, courage, and resilience.