A second indigenous Nation authorizes digs for their lost children and endorses the ITCCS – The Canadian government strikes back against the Mohawk residential school inquiry, and a long cover-up is revealed.
BRANTFORD -- At the start of a third week of an unprecedented aboriginal-led investigation into the burial sites of missing children at Canada’s oldest Indian residential school, more native nations are rallying to the cause of Mohawk elders hunting for mass graves – and the government of Canada is striking back.

A second indigenous group, the traditional Squamish nation on Canada’s west coast, has authorized ITCCS Secretary Kevin Annett to begin surveys and digs for graves of residential school children on their own territory. In a written declaration, traditional elder (siem) Kiapilano stated,

“As the Landlord to the Squamish Nation lands and natural resources, I appoint Kevin Annett Eagle Strong Voice to act with a Right of Entry to claim the said buildings of all the Anglican, Catholic and United churches located on Squamish Nation territory … Kevin is given full authority to access the burial sites for excavation, conduct (of) forensic research as to the cause of death, and provide a proper traditional burial pursuant to Squamish nation ancient ways, and surrender those responsible for this genocide to my people or a public inquiry …”

The Squamish territory comprises all of the present city of Vancouver and its surrounding region, including the location of three former Indian residential schools.

Groups among the Anishnabe (Ojibway) people in central Canada, and the Maliseet nation in the Maritimes, also announced this week plans to conduct their own inquiries into children who went missing in local Indian residential schools.

In response to how quickly the Mohawk example is spreading, the Canadian government has moved quickly to undermine and stop the survey and excavations in Brantford, and continue a history of concealing the remains of children who died there.

After initially supporting the Mohawk elders-led digs and survey at the Brantford residential school site, “chief” Bill Monture of the state-funded Six Nations Band Council announced on October 10 that he now opposed the project, and denied further use of the council’s Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Unit, and the data it had gathered on the school grounds, to the elders’ group.

Monture’s sudden reversal occurred shortly after he was summoned to Canada’s capital for consultation with government officials.

Monture’s band council has a history of concealing the deaths of children at the Brantford school. In 1982, and again in 2008, skeletal remains of children were found on the grounds of the former residential school, but the results of forensic examinations were kept secret by the band council, and the remains vanished.

Meanwhile, the inquiry continues on the site of the Brantford residential school as Mohawk volunteers survey grave sites, take samples and uncover documents indicating that the death and burial of children at the Church of England school was reported as recently as 1969, a year before the school closed. These and other accounts of crimes at the school were deliberately buried by Anglican Church officials of the local Huron Diocese.

“We’re securing another GPR scanner and are going ahead with plans to excavate at the school once an archaeological and forensics team is gathered over the next few weeks. We need the help now of all good people” said Mohawk elder Bill Squire today.