Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and Town of Marathon Jointly Demand Action
BIIGTIGONG NISHNAABEG/MARATHON, ON – Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and the Town of Marathon jointly make the following statement on the discovery of the unmarked graves at several Residential School sites in the Western Provinces:
- Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and Town of Marathon express deep sorrow at the revelation of the burial sites of so many Indigenous Children at the Residential School sites in Western Canada. We fully expect that more revelations will be made.
- Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and the Town of Marathon call upon the Catholic Church and the Government of Canada to release all documentation and records in an unredacted and unedited manner so that families and communities can identify and bring closure to their loss(es). We also demand that the Catholic Church make an apology to the Indigenous people of Canada for their (church’s) role in the Residential School system.
Furthermore, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and the Town of Marathon call upon the Government of Canada as well as each Province to act swiftly and definitely on the numerous recommendations that have been made in regards to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Very few of these recommendations have been put into action; which include:
(a) The 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. 440 Recommendations.
(b) The Truth and Reconciliation Report on the Residential School System. Dec 2015. (94 calls to action.)
(c) Thunder Bay Seven Youth Inquiry. June 2016. (145 Jury recommendations.)
(d) Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. June 2019. (There were 200 calls for justice.)
In closing, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg and the Town of Marathon will erect and fly an Orange flag at half-mast in honour of the lost children. This will continue until further notice as we fully expect more revelations will be made.
For more information, please contact:
Chief Ducan Michano
Biigtigong Nishnaabeg
(807) 228-0344
Mayor Rick Dumas
Town of Marathon
(807) 229-6842
