To members of the OCAD University community,
This week has been extremely difficult for the members of our Indigenous community and for Indigenous communities across Canada with the news that 751 unmarked graves were uncovered near the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.
On behalf of OCAD University, we offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families and loved ones impacted by this sad news, which comes as people are still grieving the loss of many other children whose graves have been uncovered at former residential schools: 215 in Kamloops, British Columbia; 104 in Brandon, Manitoba; 35 at the former Muscowequan Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan; and 180 in the United States at a former residential school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
We also acknowledge the profound impact of these horrific losses on OCAD U’s Indigenous community of faculty, staff, students and Knowledge Keepers. We continue to witness and stand in solidarity with the survivors of residential schools and with the families separated from their children, who never returned home. We stand by you at the sacred fires, and we will continue to help carry this weight with you.
We know this news is distressing and many may experience difficulties, so we encourage everyone to reach out to one another and to make use of available supports:
- For students: if you need help or support, please contact the OCAD U Student Wellness Centre at swc@ocadu.ca to speak to a counsellor. To speak with our Indigenous Student Counsellor, please email Jeanine Claus atjclaus@ocadu.ca.
- For faculty and staff: you can reach out to support through the Employee Assistance Program.
- The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former residential school students. You can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the national 24-hour crisis at 1-866 925-4419.
The sad reality, however, is that more uncovered graves will be discovered, serving as stark reminders that we still have much work to do towards the journey of reconciliation. To this end, we reiterate our commitment to addressing the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
But commitment requires action, so this fall, as part of our ongoing support of Indigenous Nations who are locating and uncovering hidden graves, we will return to the 94 Calls to Action. We will start the new academic year in September with a public reading of these calls. This acknowledgement will be a beginning, moving us towards our accountabilities and commitments to making safer and braver spaces for the Indigenous community – here at OCAD U and in Canada.
Ana Serrano
President and Vice-Chancellor
Caroline Langill
Vice-President, Academic and Provost