FSIN disappointed Trudeau did not visit Star Blanket Cree Nation during Sask. trip

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is disappointed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not visit Star Blanket Cree Nation, following the community’s discovery of thousands of anomalies during a search of a former residential school site.

Last week, Star Blanket announced it discovered more than 2,000 anomalies during a ground penetrating radar search of the site of the former Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School.

A jawbone fragment from a child aged five or six years old at the time was also discovered on the site. It was estimated to be around 125 years old.

“The Prime Minister is without the decency to pay his respects in person to Star Blanket, as they mourn the horrific discovery,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in a news release Monday.

“His lack of respect is hurtful towards all residential school survivors and descendants, who are grappling with how to handle finding the child's remains and more unmarked graves.”

The prime minister was in Saskatchewan on Monday, visiting a rare earth elements processing plant in Saskatoon.

“Being here on Treaty 6 territory I would be remiss not to start with sharing our thoughts about the challenges, the heartbreaking news coming out of Star Blanket First Nation,” Trudeau said.

The prime minister said he spoke with Star Blanket Chief Michael Star on Friday.

“Our ongoing support, whether it’s financial or with resources, as that community moves through on location of remains, but also of the healing and closure that we know is so important in the aftermath of the horrific residential schools that impacted so many people across the province, across the country,” he said.

FSIN said Trudeau was invited to the announcement on Star Blanket Cree Nation on Thursday, but he declined due to another scheduled meeting with the Japanese prime minister.

Cameron said he feels the request to attend the residential school site was not valued as much as the tour of the processing facility by the prime minister.

The site of the former residential school is located in the village of Lebret, Sask. about 80 kilometres northeast of Regina.

The school initially opened in 1884 and was expanded in 1887, 1889 and 1895.

In 1951, the school was one of the first residential schools to offer high-school education. It also allowed Aboriginal languages in its early years of operation, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation said.

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, the school had a high death rate.

After its first nine years of operation, the school claimed to have discharged 174 students, 71 of whom had died.

The institution closed in 1998 after operating for 114 years.

Star Blanket Cree Nation is located approximately 120 kilometres northeast of Regina, Sask.

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If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.

Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous Peoples are available here.