A residential schools reckoning, again

It’s a heavy one this week, as Elamin and Rosie explore the state of Canada’s path to reconciliation with the help of CBC colleague Duncan McCue. Over the past week, many people across the country have reacted with shock and horror at the preliminary discovery on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., where the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation said they found the potential remains of possibly as many as 215 children in an undocumented burial site. But is the news surprising, when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission told Canadians more than five years ago it had documented the deaths of at least 3,200 Indigenous children, with likely thousands more yet to be acknowledged? The three take stock of the reaction across the country this week, and what it says about Canadians’ understanding of the reality — and the urgency — of the issue of residential schools.

A National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. Access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

An earlier version of this podcast misattributed the quote indicating the goal of residential schools was "to kill the Indian in the child." That error has been fixed.