Path forward cannot be rooted in denialism; reflections on the 5th Anniversary of the 215

May 25, 2026

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, BC) – Five years ago, Tk̓emlúps te Secwepemc (Kamloops Indian Band) called upon people worldwide to bear witness to the shocking discovery of 215 unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School (KIRS). Today, on the fifth anniversary of Tk̓emlúps’ announcement, amidst a targeted rise in residential school denialism and anti-Indigenous racism in the province, we stand with Tk̓emlúps and all First Nations in their paths toward healing and reconciliation.

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