7.96°C Vancouver

Aug 10, 2021 8:49 PM -

North Vancouver First Nations to look for children who never made it home

Share On

Three First Nations have launched an initiative to find answers about the children who once attended St. Paul's Indian Residential School in North Vancouver but never made it home.

The Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam nations have announced an Indigenous-led plan to find answers and confirm the oral histories told by St. Paul's survivors about children who disappeared.

Squamish Nation representative Khelsilem says they know current archives document a number of children died at the school, but the records are "piecemeal."

More than 2,000 Indigenous children representing six nations attended the school between 1899 and 1959, and many were then relocated to the Kamloops Indian Residential School, where the remains of more than 200 children were found in May.

Khelsilem says they have done some "very preliminary" work, but there have been significant developments at the site since the closure and it is currently the site of a Catholic high school.

A preliminary work plan proposes interviewing survivors who attended the school, gathering all records related to its history with the Catholic Church and doing a remote sensing search for bodies.

Khelsilem says there have been "bureaucratic" challenges in accessing complete records so far.

"It’s important to note that our people’s experiences with St. Paul’s Indian Residential School are well known and healing is needed to move forward. This work is being done to respect and address both known and unknown knowledge, and is a critical part of reconciliation," Khelsilem says.

The federal government announced today that it is adding $321 million to programs to help Indigenous communities search burial sites around former residential schools, prompted by the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at several former schools.

Latest news

trump-expresses-caution-on-missile-sales-as-zelenskyy-visits-washington
WorldOct 17, 2025

Trump expresses caution on missile sales as Zelenskyy visits Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, signalling reluctance to approve Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles. The talks focused on military aid and the ongoing war with Russia, as Kyiv continues to seek advanced weapons to bolster its defence. The meeting followed a lengthy phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier, during which the two discussed the conflict in Ukraine. While Trump had recently indicated a willingness to consider missile sales, he appeared to scale back exp
bank-of-canada-to-resume-economic-forecasts-with-cautious-outlook-amid-global-uncertainty
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Bank of Canada to resume economic forecasts with cautious outlook amid global uncertainty

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank will take a cautious approach as it resumes formal economic forecasting later this month, acknowledging the need for “humility” in the face of continued trade uncertainty. The Bank of Canada is expected to release its next economic outlook alongside an interest rate announcement on October 29 its first full forecast this year. The central bank paused detailed projections earlier in 2025, citing unpredictable global conditions tied to U.S. tariffs and shifting trade relations. Speaking from Washington, D.C., where he is attending th
montreal-man-admits-to-threatening-parti-québécois-leader-and-his-family
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Montreal man admits to threatening Parti Québécois leader and his family

A Montreal resident has pleaded guilty to making death threats against Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and his family. Court records show that 42-year-old Philippe Clément-Laberge entered the plea on Tuesday at the Montreal courthouse. The threats were reportedly made in early March 2024, prompting a police investigation that led to his arrest shortly afterward. St-Pierre Plamondon publicly addressed the incident last year after news of the threats surfaced, saying he was concerned for his family’s safety but expressed confidence in the justice system’s response. The cas
reconstruction-approved-for-hazel-trembath-elementary-after-2023-fire
BCOct 17, 2025

Reconstruction approved for Hazel Trembath Elementary after 2023 fire

The British Columbia government has approved plans to rebuild Hazel Trembath Elementary School in Port Coquitlam, nearly two years after a fire destroyed the original building. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma announced Friday that a new, 240-seat school will be constructed on the same site where the blaze occurred in October 2023. The province says the $39-million project will be developed through an accelerated model designed to shorten construction timelines, marking what officials describe as a first-of-its-kind approach in B.C. Ma said the school’s loss was deeply felt across the commu
ottawa-announces-plan-to-hire-1-000-new-border-officers-expand-benefits-for-frontline-responders
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Ottawa announces plan to hire 1,000 new border officers, expand benefits for frontline responders

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will move ahead with new border security and public safety investments as part of the upcoming federal budget, including hiring 1,000 additional Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers. According to the announcement, the new officers will focus on curbing the movement of stolen goods, illegal firearms, and drugs, while enforcing import measures and investigating unfair trade practices. The government also plans to increase the CBSA recruit stipend from $125 to $525 per week the first raise since 2005 to attract and retain new recruit

Related News