Indigenous communities in Canada are warning that the federal government must act to prevent the destruction of thousands of testimonies from survivors of residential schools. The documents, which include first-hand accounts of abuse, are scheduled to be destroyed in September 2027 under a Supreme Court ruling.
Between the late 19th century and the 1990s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend Christian residential schools. About 38,000 former students testified about sexual, physical and mental abuse as part of a class-action lawsuit that culminated in the largest settlement in Canadian history.
Cheryle Dreaver only learned last year that her mother Ivy’s testimony was due to be destroyed. Ivy Dreaver had described being beaten for speaking Cree and sexually abused by a priest. “I didn’t know those things had happened to her until that very day,” Cheryle said.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2017 that the testimonies must be expunged after 10 years, citing confidentiality. Only former students can request preservation of their files; if a survivor has died, their documents are guaranteed to be destroyed. Advocates say the government has made minimal efforts to inform survivors.
Kimberly Murray, a former executive director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said destroying files that could contain evidence of genocide is against international law. “There were ways for us to protect those records without destroying them,” she said.
Journalist Connie Walker said the impending destruction underscores how difficult it is to access information on crimes at residential schools. “It’s a consistent pattern of the federal government stepping back from its obligations,” said Heather George of the Woodland Cultural Centre.
