Faculty of Education Statement: Victims of the Kamloops Residential School

On behalf of the members of McGill Faculty of Education, we mourn the tragic loss of 215 Indigenous children who were found in a mass grave at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. Today, McGill lowers its flags in recognition of this tragedy, and we at the Faculty echo the sentiments of the McGill Provost. As our academics, staff, students, and alumni grieve together, we also stand together in support of our Indigenous community members. We offer our deepest condolences to our students, colleagues, and Office of First Nations and Inuit Education partners in Cree, Inuit, Kanien’kehá:ka, and Mi’gmaq communities across the province and beyond.

This horrific discovery is a heartbreaking reminder to all educators that we must renew our pledge to ensure safe learning environments for all students. As teachers and researchers at the forefront of societal change, we are ambassadors for social justice; upholding the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to preserve and celebrate our global cultural mosaic.

Sincerely,

Professor Dilson Rassier

Dean, Faculty of Education