Police in Canada Have Spent Decade Investigating Residential School Abuse Allegations
08:59 GMT 28.07.2021 (Updated: 10:12 GMT 30.11.2022)
© REUTERS / Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre
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It took 10 years to conduct a large-scale investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at a former residential school.
The Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement on 27 July that they had launched a criminal investigation in 2011 into claims that students were sexually assaulted during their time at the Fort Alexander residential school.
"It is not the RCMP's practice to discuss ongoing investigations. In this instance, a media inquiry was made to the RCMP Media Relations Office by the Winnipeg Free Press asking about this investigation," the statement read.
Officials added that the investigation "affected" many people and had certain "social implications". Police therefore determined it is indeed in the public interest to provide as much information on the case as possible.
According to the newly released files, the Manitoba RCMP's Major Crime Services began probative investigations into allegations of sexual abuse at the Fort Alexander Residential School in February 2010. The probative investigation meant that officials first needed to gather information to determine the scope of the occurrences.
The report says that the allegations were historical in nature, so investigators then travelled to Ottawa to search for available archival records containing data on the Fort Alexander Residential School in a bid to identify anyone who might have been involved in the case. Officers also attended the Manitoba Archives to gather further historical information, such as student lists, employee lists, and quarterly returns.
Overall, investigators spoke to or interacted with more than 700 people across North America to locate or identify any possible victims or witnesses. Once all the information needed was processed, a criminal investigation was launched in 2011. Investigators started taking formal statements, and interviewing victims and witnesses. 75 witness and victim statements were obtained by the authorities.
According to the files, more than 680 investigational tasks have been identified and completed and more than 80 investigators have been engaged in the case.
"The Manitoba RCMP recognises the significant public interest this investigation will generate. However, it is imperative at this stage of the justice process that everyone recognises that no charges have been laid, and that the victims, suspects, and witnesses have privacy rights," the statement concluded.
According to the information obtained by the Guardian, the Fort Alexander residential school was opened in 1905 and closed by the government in 1970. People have since opened up about abuse within the institution, including testifying at the reconciliation commission, the media outlet added.
Children repeatedly attempted to run away from the school, the media reported, citing the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre. The institution is also believed to have been home t indigenous children who were forced to attend such places all across the country.
People from Mosakahiken Cree Nation hug in front of a makeshift memorial at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to honour the 215 children whose remains have been discovered buried near the facility,
© AFP 2023 / COLE BURSTON
Over the last few months, hundreds of indigenous children's remains have been found at former Indian residential schools across Canada. According to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, released in 2015, roughly 150,000 aboriginal children were forcibly assimilated through the residential schools from 1883 to 1998. It is estimated that up to 6,000 children could have died in such schools.
