Toronto, May 30: The federal government of Canada will be flying flags at half-mast to commemorate the deaths of 215 First Nations children whose remains were found buried near a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement on Twitter on Sunday, where said, “To honour the 215 children whose lives were taken at the former Kamloops residential school and all Indigenous children who never made it home, the survivors, and their families, I have asked that the Peace Tower flag and flags on all federal buildings be flown at half-mast.” (click here to see French version)
His announcement comes a day after the chief of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations (MCFN) in Ontario issued an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging his government to lower the flags and declare a national day of mourning. (Click here to see letter)
In his letter posted on Twitter, Gimaa (Chief) R. Stacey Laforme stated that, “We call on the Prime Minister to lower flags of this country and declare a national day of mourning for our children. A mass grave containing 215 children was discovered on the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. For these Children and the many others!”
Since then, many others have joined the call, including NDP MP Charlie Angus, who tweeted that lowering the flags is “the least we can do.” “These children were forcibly taken by the state. They died at a church run residential school and were buried without dignity,” he added in the tweet message.
Several municipalities have heeded the call by Chief Laforme, including the cities of Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Ottawa.
Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Twitter that flags on city property would be lowered and the Toronto sign dimmed for 215 hours, or nine days, to represent each child.
“I know we have all been horrified by the discovery of the bodies of 215 children on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territory…I have spoken with Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey Laforme this weekend and he has asked for our ceremonial flags to be lowered to mourn this unspeakable tragedy,” said Mayor Tory. “I extended my condolences to Chief Laforme and through him to all First Nations people in Toronto and across the country,” he added further.
