Federal minister pays respects at Regina residential school cemetery

Marc Miller, the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, paid a visit to the Regina Indian Industrial School Cemetery on Tuesday.

According to officials, the memorial grounds are the resting place of at least 35 students who attended the residential school.

The cemetery is currently maintained by volunteers dedicated to preserving the area. However, they hope to receive more federal support in their efforts.

“We are purely volunteer, so to see more funds come in from the government would help us maintain the land and in maintaining the cemetery itself,” said former president of the Regina Indian Industrial Residential School Commemorative association David Owens.

After Minister Miller had a chance to pay his respects at the cemetery, he had the chance to hear from board members regarding their efforts to keep the area intact.

“Clearly what communities and survivors and Indigenous peoples have told us is that this needs to move faster and with the funds that we have to support communities,” the minister said.

“The opportunity to seize this moment in history, to talk to Canadians about the truth of this country, is important.”

The Regina Indian Industrial School was in operation from 1891-1910. After its closure, it became a detention center until it was destroyed by a fire in 1948.