Search for unmarked graves at Sturgeon Landing Residential School

Article content

Hoping to help heal “deep scars” dating back nearly a century, searchers are working at the site of a former residential school in northeast Saskatchewan near the Manitoba border.

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation on Monday began a five-day ground-penetrating radar survey in an attempt to identify unmarked graves associated with the Sturgeon Landing Residential School, which operated in one of PBCN’s northeastern Saskatchewan communities near The Pas, Manitoba.

Article content

The school, run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe, began operating in 1926 and officially opened one year later. It burned down in 1952 and was never rebuilt; students instead were relocated to The Pas, where the Guy Hill Residential School was established in 1957 and operated until 1979.

“This GPR survey is an important step in our journey toward healing and truth,” PBCN vice-chief Justin Halcrow said, asking community members “to unite in prayer and support as we acknowledge our past and begin to heal for future generations.”

The school was built under the pretence of saving the “nomad Indian population from the great poverty to which it was condemned because of the rapid decline in hunting and fishing as a means of survival,” according to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe website.

The school caused immense harm by wiping out the language, culture, and family ties of many Indigenous children, PBCN says.

Last week, in advance of the radar survey, PBCN held a truth and reconciliation gathering at the Sturgeon Landing site to honour those who attended the school.

Article content

Article content

“Sturgeon Landing holds deep scars for our community,” Halcrow said.

“Many of our children were taken from their families, culture, and identities here. As we search for unmarked graves, we honour those who never returned and continue our path toward healing. Every child mattered, and we will ensure their stories are remembered, and their spirits honoured.”

Saskatchewan Polytechnic, which is providing technical support in the search, stressed its commitment to the project.

“Our team is honoured to be entrusted with this significant work and we hope this project will contribute to reconciliation efforts,” said Susan Blum, associate vice-president, applied research and innovation.

Polytechnic crews will share their technical expertise, equipment and experience, using remote-sensing technologies to potentially locate unidentified and unmarked grave sites. Research teams are scheduled work at the site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily this week.

According to PBCN, it is “likely” that further ground-penetrating radar work will take place next year as well, “as the site is large and has complex geological and disturbed land conditions.”

Article content

Radar searches have taken place at the sites of residential schools across Saskatchewan, with presumed unmarked graves or anomalies found at sites including Cowessess First Nation, George Gordon First Nation and English River First Nation.

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.

Article content