Millions in Grave Recovery Funds Spent on Publicists and Consultants, no Remains Found
Millions in federal funding earmarked for recovering the remains of children at a former Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC, was instead allocated to consultants, publicists, and administrative expenses, according to documents obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.
The Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations initially withheld the financial records, citing the Access to Information Act, but they were later disclosed following an order from Information Commissioner Carolyn Maynard. The records raise questions about transparency and how funds intended for forensic investigations and archaeological work were spent.
The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation received $12.1 million in federal funding after announcing in 2021 the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. That figure was later revised to 200 “potential burials.” However, no human remains have been recovered, despite internal department memos citing “requests from families to return bodies.”
Initial funding of nearly $8 million was allocated for fieldwork, archival research, and securing the site. However, an additional $4 million was approved, with meeting minutes describing the funding as “robust and comprehensive.”
The spending breakdown included $405,000 for administrative costs, $37,500 for marketing, and $100,000 to employ two trauma counsellors for six months. Other expenditures included $532,000 for site security and payments to publicists, architects, and engineers for long-term projects such as a planned Healing Centre, a museum, and a culturally supportive nursing home for indigenous elders.
The Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations sought updates on archaeological and forensic progress but acknowledged the complexities of such work. “We are not seeking to intervene in this matter but are trying to understand the approach,” acting director Mandy McCarthy wrote in correspondence that included questions about exhumation and DNA testing protocols.
Despite these inquiries, the disclosed records provided little evidence of direct fieldwork to locate graves. Details of spending remain heavily censored, fuelling skepticism around the Kamloops claims, which gained national attention in 2021 after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the findings as “an irrefutable part of our present” and ordered national flags lowered for 161 days.
The announcement of unmarked graves sparked national outrage over the legacy of Canada’s residential schools, where indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and subjected to abuse and neglect in many cases. However, the lack of forensic findings has led some to question the claims.
Kimberley Murray, Canada’s Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves, acknowledged the skepticism last year but warned against inflammatory accusations. “It is one thing to say you don’t believe there are burials,” she said. “But when you say indigenous people are lying for personal gain, that is inciting hate.”
The financial records reveal a lack of clarity on how funding was managed, with Commissioner Maynard criticizing the department for withholding information. The controversy has intensified calls for greater accountability and transparency in the government’s handling of residential school investigations.
Lingering Questions
Approaching four years since the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the discovery of 215 potential unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, no human remains have been recovered. The initial $7.9 million allocated for the investigation yielded limited results, with little public detail on how the funds were spent, until recently.
Critics argue that the lack of transparency surrounding the investigation and the absence of forensic evidence call for renewed scrutiny. Academics like Jacques Rouillard of Université de Montréal have questioned the methodology behind the original announcement, which referred to “confirmation” of remains but was based solely on ground-penetrating radar (GPR) findings.
The announcement coincided with an increase in vandalism and arson against churches, with over 100 incidents reported nationwide.
The residential school system in Canada was notorious for its harsh conditions and mistreatment of indigenous children. Many have recounted stories of physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and forced assimilation. The schools were often underfunded, leading to inadequate food and care. In one instance, a principal at Kamloops Residential School in 1910 admitted that the government did not provide enough money to properly feed the students. These conditions contributed to high mortality rates among the children, with many dying from diseases such as tuberculosis.
Nonetheless, the expensive investigation has yielded no human remains, leaving many questions unanswered.
Divisions Deepen
The controversy surrounding the Kamloops residential school claims has reached the legal community, exposing how deeply emotional and divisive the issue has become. A recent resolution proposed by two BC lawyers to amend language in the Law Society of British Columbia’s indigenous Intercultural Course reignited tensions over the lack of confirmed findings at the site and the broader implications for reconciliation.
The resolution sought to replace references to “an unmarked burial site containing the bodies of 215 children” with “potentially unmarked burial site” and to remove a statement that “the discovery confirms what survivors have been saying all along.” The lawyers behind the resolution argued that no human remains have been recovered and that the phrasing should reflect the current uncertainty. Critics, however, condemned the proposal as harmful and accused it of undermining survivors’ testimonies and perpetuating “residential school denialism.”
The backlash culminated in a narrow defeat of the resolution at the Law Society’s annual general meeting. Indigenous organizations, including the BC First Nations Justice Council, argued that changing the language would discredit the lived experiences of survivors and the historical record. “The countless number of people who have witnessed children being buried is strong,” said BCFNJC director Judith Sayers. “These accounts are acceptable in court and must be given the respect they deserve.”
Supporters of the resolution, however, pointed to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc’s own shift in language from “remains” to “anomalies” as evidence of the need for accuracy. They argued that acknowledging the lack of findings at Kamloops does not diminish the harms of the residential school system, but rather emphasizes the importance of clear and honest discourse in such a sensitive matter. Lawyer James I. Heller expressed frustration at being labelled racist, stating, “My intention was never to diminish indigenous experiences, only to ensure accuracy in professional education.”
The Law Society ultimately rejected the resolution, reaffirming its commitment to “advancing truth and reconciliation.” However, the debate highlights a divide between those who demand factual precision in recounting events at Kamloops and those who view any questioning of the original claims as undermining efforts to address Canada’s residential school legacy.
The Kamloops claims ignited national outrage and prompted significant government spending, but nearly four years later, no human remains have been found, and key questions remain unanswered.
