A Department of Canadian Heritage spokesperson wouldn’t comment on federal funding for a proposed national shrine to 215 children reported to be buried at a former Indian Residential School in Kamloops, B.C., per Blacklock’s Reporter.
No remains have been discovered, records show, despite millions paid for “remains excavation,” the outlet reported.
“The funding program for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provides support for community-based events,” said David Larose, spokesperson for the heritage department, per Blacklock’s. “The program has not received an application from the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation.”
Larose also said the department wasn’t responsible for building shrines outside Ottawa.
“The department is responsible for commemorative monument projects solely on federal land in the National Capital Region,” he said.
Access To Information records did show a heritage department deputy was assigned to attend a June 7, 2021 meeting “on federal-provincial collaboration in response to the discovery of what could be the remains of children.”
Documents show The Tk’emlups council budgeted $3.3 million to build a monument to buried children.
The heritage department didn’t answer when asked if remains had to actually be recovered before any national commemoration of the site.
Federal funding for “remains excavation” was originally budgeted at $7.9 million but increased twice to $12.1 million.
The Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations said those funds were supposed to be for field work, DNA research and forensics but records show they were instead spent on publicist and consultants.