NAC urges continued federal funding to further assist Indigenous communities in their efforts to identify, locate and commemorate missing children

TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, February 13, 2025 – The National Advisory Committee on Residential Schools Missing Children and Unmarked Burials (NAC) is extremely disappointed to learn that the Government of Canada has decided to discontinue funding to support their work to help Indigenous communities in their efforts to identify, locate and commemorate missing children, and is urging the federal government to reconsider.

Co-administered by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), NAC was established in 2022 to provide expert guidance and support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities as they undertake the difficult but vital work of searching for missing and disappeared children and locating unmarked burial sites associated with the residential school system. Guided by a Circle of Survivors, the committee brings together experts in various fields, including forensics, health, archaeology, archives, police investigations, and history.

The current funding agreement for the Committee expires on March 31, 2025 and the Committee’s request for continued funding was denied.

“We are extremely concerned by the decision to discontinue funding for the National Advisory Committee on Residential Schools Missing Children and Unmarked Burials,” said Kona Williams, NAC member and intergenerational Survivor. “This critical work is essential for honouring the memory of missing and disappeared children and supporting healing within Indigenous communities. We urge the federal government to reconsider this decision which we believe to be a giant step backwards on the path of reconciliation. As the daughter of a residential school Survivor and Elder who contributed to the TRC, this is also deeply personal. For me to continue this work in my capacity, after decades of school, is not only an honour but a sacred duty to all of those lost to these schools and to their families. This is an important part of both truth and reconciliation.”

“The National Advisory Committee was established to meet a vital need—to ensure Indigenous communities have access to independent, trusted and expert information in their efforts to identify, locate, and commemorate their missing and disappeared children,” said Kisha Supernant, NAC member. “It is a one-of-a-kind body uniquely positioned to support capacity building and information sharing among communities engaged in the search process—a process that has only just begun. We are extremely disheartened and disappointed by the decision not to renew funding for this work, which is so important to reconciliation and to healing for our people.”

Over the past three years, NAC has actively engaged with communities through a series of webinars, in-person gatherings across Canada, and the development of valuable resources. These efforts have included:

• Supporting community-led searches: Providing guidance and resources for community-based searches, including best practices, access to experts, and support for cultural protocols.
• Developing resources: Creating and disseminating valuable resources such as guides, toolkits, and best practices documents for communities.
• Building capacity: Supporting the development of community-based expertise in areas such as ground penetrating radar, archaeology, and cultural heritage.
• Promoting awareness: Raising public awareness about the importance of these searches and honouring the memory of missing and disappeared children.