(Toronto, Ont.–April 23, 2025) The Chiefs of Ontario have issued the following statement on the urgent need to renew commitments to residential school Survivors:
As the federal election enters its final week, the Chiefs of Ontario are calling on the next government to support Survivors, their families and First Nations in their decades-long journeys to close the chapter on Canada’s dark residential school history.
The previous government made several commitments over the years to fund work aimed at bringing children home and supporting those who were forced to attend residential schools. But over the last year those commitments have not materialized into adequate and predictable funding.
“The party that forms the next federal government must support Survivors, their families and their communities by renewing and improving on commitments that have been made in the past,” said Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict. “The residential school system is the darkest and most shameful part of Canada’s history. It must be met head-on if we ever want to move forward as a country.”
Many organizations and First Nations researching the institutions that their members were sent to are faced with precarious funding or even cuts. Some of these organizations have been pushed to the brink of after federal funding promised by the federal government was not delivered.
Residential school denialism has also become more mainstream and acceptable—the issue even came up during last week’s French-language federal leader’s debate.
“We have seen how bad-faith actors have seized on language and misinformation to minimize the harms faced by First Nations people in an attempt to rewrite Canada’s genocidal history. Unfortunately, some in the political world have decided to ignore or even encourage these bad actors and that’s resulted in real-world, material harms to our people,” said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige. “The next federal government must have the courage and political will to stand with First Nations and Survivors across Turtle Island. We must show those who wish to cause harm to our people through action or word that they will not be tolerated.”
The Chiefs of Ontario call on the next government to implement all of the obligations outlined in the the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools’ final report and to extend funding to make the interlocutor’s office permanent. The Chiefs of Ontario also call on the next federal government to heed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action to 71 to 76 which discuss missing children and burial sites, calling for the identification, documentation, and memorialization of burial sites.
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The Chiefs of Ontario support all First Nations in Ontario as they assert their sovereignty, jurisdiction and their chosen expression of nationhood. Follow Chiefs of Ontario on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @ChiefsOfOntario.
Media Contact:
Isak Vaillancourt
Communications Manager
Chiefs of Ontario
Mobile: 416-819-8184
Email: isak.vaillancourt@coo.org
Declan Keogh
Strategic Advocacy Manager
Chiefs of Ontario
Mobile: 416-522-4518
Email: declan.keogh@coo.org
