Private archives involving information regarding residential schools will be provided to the Royal BC Museum (RBCM) and University of British Columbia (UBC) by the Sisters of St. Ann’s, an order of Catholic nuns that taught at four residential schools in Canada, including the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The RBCM and the The Sisters of St. Ann’s (SSA) announced today that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which will provide enhanced access of the SSA’s private archival records to the RBCM and the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC) at UBC.
This MOU will go into effect July 1st where it will remain in effect until all the work of reviewing and processing the records is complete and the SSA archives are transferred to the BC Archives at the Royal BC Museum.
Staff at the BC Archives will work with the IRSHDC, as a neutral third party.
The announcement comes in light of the 215 school children’s remains found at a former Kamloops Residential School in early June.
The SSA records will be accessible to Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, as requested.
See also: Royal BC Museum assists Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation in identifying residential school remains
Since the discovery, the federal government has announced $27 million to help locate children at residential schools and just this week announced $5 million in funding towards research into residential schools in Saskatchewan.
Private archival information may help in identifying victims’ of the residential school system, as well as identify remains.
“All archives from organizations that were involved with residential schools can play a role in the process of truth-finding and reconciliation,” said Dr. Daniel Muzyka, Board Chair and Acting CEO of the Royal BC Museum.
“Expediting access to the SSA records to Indigenous communities is a positive step along this path.”
The SSA said they are committed to collaborating and assisting the process of the MOU.
“We affirm our commitment to collaborate in finding the truth and will assist in the process in whatever way we can,” said Sister Marie Zarowny, President and Board Chair of The Sisters of St. Ann.
“It is of the utmost importance to us to contribute, in any way possible, to transparency and accessibility, and participate in activities that can lead to healing and reconciliation.”
The MOU identifies that Indigenous community needs are at the centre of the process of reviewing the SSA records, and maintains that one of its key emphasis’ is to make Indian Residential school archives and information more accessible to Indigenous communities.
This is a developing story.
