Standing in support of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and all who have been impacted by residential schools

The Westcoast staff and board offer our hearts and thoughts to the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and to all who have been impacted by residential schools. The recent news that the bodies of 215 children were found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School is heartbreaking and deplorable. This is a stark exposure of Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples and a reminder that tangible steps towards the 94 Calls to Action recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are long overdue.

The Westcoast Early Learning Library offers resources and ‘own voices’ stories to support conversations with young children about the legacy of residential schools, as well as authentic and appropriate resources to explore the many Indigenous cultures and celebrate Indigenous joy with children.  As educators, parents, caregivers and settlers on this land, we are responsible for ensuring that the next generation of Canadians holds the knowledge and wisdom necessary to ensure that abhorrent acts of genocide and colonialism are not perpetuated in future.