so yes, none of this is 'new' knowledge in terms of the existence of unmarked/undocumented {mass} graves in proximity to residential schools. Of course what is of compelling... of mind-numbing recognition is the scope - the actual number of children that died/were buried at the Kamloops residential school over its ~80 year operation.
to be expected, the 'usual suspects' are quick to attempt to down-play this latest revelation - leaving the waldo to question when down-playing becomes outright denial. Some of the more profiled responses came from Chris Champion, one of the principals of the
Dorchester Review. Champion is described as a close confidant to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, having started his relationship as a staffer to Kenney when he was a federal MP. Considerable
controversy is associated with Champion over his past writings and in his role as an adviser/consultant on the development of a new Alberta school curriculum:
In an article published last year on the proposed new curriculum, Champion calls the inclusion of First Nations perspectives in school lessons a fad.
Champion writes that the KAIROS blanket exercise — an activity used to teach participants about the deleterious effects on Indigenous people when Europeans settled in North America — brainwashes children.
"The scientific tradition is that truth is discovered and authenticated," Champion writes in the spring/summer issue of the Dorchester Review, where he is an editor. "By contrast, the 'truth' of Indigenous elders sometimes contradicts the evidence."
Champion also came under fire last week for publishing, and recently republishing, a Dorchester Review opinion piece that casts doubt on the suffering of residential school survivors.
In the 1990s, Champion also wrote for conservative magazine Alberta Report. He penned an article that suggested victims of school sex abuse scandals and forced sterilization exploited their suffering for financial gain.
many of Champion's recent days tweets has him repeatedly including a link to the following (original sourced CBC) article:
Why Did Over 4,000 Children Die At First Nation’s Residential Schools? One example of same showing the temerity of Champion in replying to the Minister of Indigenous Services, Marc Miller: