North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney called upon the prime minister to take action in light of the 215 children discovered in an unmarked, undocumented burial site at the former Kamloops residential school.
According to a media release from Blaney, Canadians across the country were devastated by the discovery of 215 indigenous children. She stated that on June 7, Justin Trudeau and his cabinet refused to show up to vote on an NDP motion that asked him to stop fighting indigenous children and residential school survivors in court.
“This has been an especially difficult time for survivors, families and first nations,” stated Blaney. “They deserve much better than what they have gotten from decades of Liberal and Conservative governments. Enough with the symbolic gestures. Indigenous people need concrete action to advance real reconciliation.
“While the prime minister expresses condolences, he didn’t bother to show up today and vote in support of this important initiative.”
Blaney stated the NDP opposition day motion, which passed without the prime minister or his cabinet, called on the Liberals to end ongoing legal battles and accept the findings of the Canadian human rights tribunal. It also called for the Liberal government to end its legal battle against survivors of the St. Anne’s Residential School.
Blaney stated that six years after the truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) calls to action were released, indigenous people are still waiting on the government to act. So far, a small percentage have been implemented, stated Blaney, adding that the NDP opposition day motion calls on the Liberals to table a progress report on actions taken within 10 days.
