Yukon First Nation elder Sandra Johnson says the discovery of 15 potential graves near the site of a former residential school has 害羞草研究所渦ncovered long-buried wounds.害羞草研究所�

Johnson spoke Tuesday at the release of an investigation into unmarked graves and the deaths of children who attended the former Chooutla Residential School in Carcross, south of Whitehorse.

Johnson, who is an elder adviser for the Yukon Residential Schools Missing Children working group, acknowledged others around the territory will also be struggling.

害羞草研究所淜now that you are loved, valued and cherished. We stand with you in solidarity, committed to walking the path of healing alongside you,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淢ay the spirit of our ancestors guide us and may the resilience of your communities inspire us all to create a world that is just, inclusive and rooted in compassion.害羞草研究所�

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Memorial Register lists 20 children as dying at the school, which operated from 1903 to 1969, but researchers said on Tuesday that their work found at least 33 students who either died at the school, in hospital after being injured at school, or while they were involved in school-related activities.

The discovery is the latest in a series of potential graves found around Canada害羞草研究所檚 residential schools. On Thursday, the Sto:lo First Nation said it discovered at least 158 deaths at three residential schools and a hospital, dating back to 1863. Most of those deaths were from tuberculosis or other disease.

Brian Whiting, with the B.C.-based company GeoScan, which performed the ground-penetrating radar search, said 害羞草研究所渕ore invasive害羞草研究所� work would be required to confirm if the sites in question are graves.

He said what they found is consistent with the accounts of school survivors.

Whiting said GeoScan searched more than 37,000 square metres of land and all 15 potential sites were found within 58 square metres of each other.

Nicole Marion, with the research group Know History Inc., says their work began in January of 2022 and included 4,500 archival documents.

She said they害羞草研究所檝e submitted access to information requests for more than 100 files and received partial access to 70.

害羞草研究所淧artial access means that we have been provided with a copy of the files that we have requested, but all identifying personal information for students, children and staff have been removed,害羞草研究所� she said.

Marion said of the 1,300 children taken to the school from Yukon, Alaska and British Columbia, they only know the names of 900 and the home locations for about 730 of them.

She said they have 害羞草研究所渧ery poor害羞草研究所� information on where the 33 children they identified as dead are buried, and often don害羞草研究所檛 know their names.

害羞草研究所淭his research is incomplete,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淎s we gain further access to records, our findings will evolve. In particular, we hope to learn more about who these children were, what they experienced and where they are buried.害羞草研究所�

Marion called for continued research, focusing specifically on restricted records held by Library and Archives Canada, the Anglican Church and in the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation archives.

害羞草研究所淚t is also of utmost importance and urgency that statement gathering be conducted with survivors,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淪urvivors害羞草研究所� testimonies will not only inform the research priorities moving forward, but, most importantly, their experiences are the most valuable authority for uncovering the truth about what happened at Chooutla and other institutions of assimilation.害羞草研究所�

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