Residential school tragedies: Canadians largely blame the Church

A study in Canada by Léger has examined Canadians’ reactions to the tragedies that occurred at residential schools.

The study was conducted following the uncovering of 215 Indigenous children’s bodies in an unmarked grave outside a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

According to the results, 2 in 3 Canadians (66%) believe the Church should bear the responsibility for the tragedies committed at residential schools. 34% think the Government of Canada should be held responsible.

“While the Government of Canada funded these schools, they were administered and managed by Christian churches. In your view, who should bear the responsibility for the tragedies committed at these schools?”

—Léger

The same study found that 77% of Canadians believe the government should order all the grounds surrounding former residential schools in Canada to be systematically searched via ground-penetrating radar to uncover the extent of these atrocities nationwide. Since the Kamloops discovery, remains have been detected at 13 additional sites of former residential schools.

This article was originally published on June 8, 2021 and updated on July 28, 2022.

To access the National Residential School Crisis Line, please call 1-866-925-4419.

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