In the same year, a survey showed that out of 264 former students, 107 died. The Indian Residential School History & Dialogue Centre reports that two sisters drowned while trying to escape the school in 1959, and another committed suicide in 1966.
“We understand that many of our brothers and sisters from our neighbouring communities attended the Kuper Island Industrial School. We also recognize the tremendous amount of grief and loss that too many did not return home.”
“It is impossible to get over acts of genocide and human rights violations. Healing is an ongoing process, and sometimes it goes well, and sometimes we lose more people because the burden is too great,” continued the statement, signed by various elders of the Penelakut Tribe, including Chief Joan Brown.
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The Penelakut Tribe have issued a letter saying the graves were found on the grounds of the former residential school on what is now known as Penelakut Island between Vancouver Island and mainland B.C., about 78 miles (126 kilometers) southwest of Vancouver. We understand that many of our brothers and sisters from our neighboring communities attended the Kuper Island Industrial School, said the letter from Chief Joan Brown. We also recognize with a tremendous amount of grief and loss, that too many did not return home.
The Kuper Island Indian Industrial School was operated by the Roman Catholic Church from 1890 until 1969, when the federal government took it over. The school was closed in 1975 and the building was demolished in the 1980s.
The Kuper Island Industrial School, which opened in 1889 and closed in 1975, was on what is now called Penelakut Island, near Chemainus.
Horgan reiterated that in 2017 all his ministers were given mandate letters to work on the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“That does not change at all the tragedy of the revelations that we are hearing from communities right across B.C., whether it be in Ktunaxa territory in Kamloops or on Vancouver Island, which is my home,” he said.
In late May the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation confirmed it used a ground-penetrating radar survey to find what it believes to be 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.