Green Party Supports Special Interlocutor Report, Calls for Immediate Action on Enforced Disappearances of Indigenous Children

October 29, 2024 at 6:03 pm  Federal, Politics

OTTAWA  — The Green Party of Canada today voiced its full support for the recommendations of Mohawk lawyer Kimberly Murray, Canada’s Special Interlocutor on residential school gravesites, who released a landmark report this week. The report calls for urgent action, including establishing a Commission of Investigations into the Enforced Disappearance of Indigenous Children in Canada, to bring justice and accountability for the thousands of Indigenous children who never returned from residential schools.

“Kimberly Murray’s report shows us that the work is far from over,” said Leader Elizabeth May. “There is an undeniable urgency in pursuing justice for the countless Indigenous children who were taken and never returned to their families. We must establish a Commission of Investigations without delay, as this is a fundamental step toward truth and reconciliation. The Green Party stands in full support of her recommendations.”

The Special Interlocutor’s report, entitled Upholding Sacred Obligations: Reparations for Missing and Disappeared Indigenous Children and Unmarked Burials in Canada, highlights the severe and widespread impacts of residential schools and points to a troubling “culture of impunity” that has yet to be addressed. The report includes 42 obligations for governments, churches, and institutions to uphold, laying out an Indigenous-led Reparations Framework for Truth, Accountability, Justice, and Reconciliation.

“The families who lost loved ones to the residential school system deserve the full truth and an unyielding commitment to justice,” said MP Mike Morrice. “The denialism and refusal to act from some institutions in Canada are appalling. Kimberly Murray’s findings show us just how critical it is to bring this dark chapter into the open and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. There can be no reconciliation without accountability.”

“As a country, we must honour and listen to survivors who have courageously shared their painful experiences,” added Deputy Leader Rainbow eyes. “The Green Party is committed to supporting a future where Indigenous-led truth and accountability lead the way forward. We owe this to the children, to the families, and to the survivors who have endured unimaginable suffering. It’s time to end this ‘culture of impunity’ and ensure that our collective history reflects the full truth.”

The Green Party also emphasized the need to criminalize denial of residential school abuses, as recommended in the report. As Murray highlighted, Parliament must act to prevent the spread of harmful narratives that ignore or deny the tragic realities faced by Indigenous children and families.

Murray’s mandate included creating a new federal legal framework to ensure the respectful and culturally appropriate treatment of unmarked graves and burial sites of Indigenous children, as well as closing structural gaps in existing systems. Her term was extended to allow for further work on these critical issues, and the Green Party believes that all of Canada must stand united in support of this essential work.

“Canada has a moral obligation to act on this report,” concluded Elizabeth May. “We must embrace truth, seek justice, and uphold our responsibilities to Indigenous communities and to all Canadians who expect and deserve an unwavering commitment to reconciliation.”

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For more information or to arrange an interview : 

Fabrice Lachance Nové

Press secretary

514-463-0021

[email protected]

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