Crowdfunding allows Vancouver Island First Nation to search for remains of missing children
On B.C.’s far west coast a crowdfunding campaign will mean a First Nation will be able to search the grounds of two former Indigenous residential schools.
The Ahousaht First Nation, based on Flores Island near Tofino B.C., will accept $75,000 to launch a campaign to search the grounds of two former schools in its territory.
“People who care, genuinely care, are supporting this,” said Ahousaht’s elected chief, Greg Louie.
“People we don't know, people who care, genuinely care, are contributing."
The campaign to raise funds for Vancouver Island First Nations was started in the wake of the Kamloops Indian Residential School discovery in June.
“Find Our Lost Children” had an original goal of raising $25,000. By Friday, the campaign had raised an impressive $154,704.
More than 2,000 donors have handed over money to help pay for ground-penetrating radar work.
Ahousaht is the first island nation to accept a donation from the GoFundMe initiative.
The nation is currently looking for a qualified employee to oversee the searches at the former Ahousaht Residential School and the Christie (Clayoquot/Kakawis) School.
"We've heard there has been death so we want to bring some resolve to our community,” Louie told CTV News.
Ahousaht is not alone in wanting to search the grounds of the notorious former schools.
In Alert Bay, B.C., the ‘Namgis First Nation has launched its own project.
“’Namgis First Nations Council has decided to execute a project to find out whether unmarked burial grounds also exist around the site of the St. Michael’s residential school which remained active in Alert Bay from 1894 to 1974,” the nation said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
The Tseshaht First Nation near Port Alberni has also started the ball rolling on a project to search the grounds of its now demolished school.
Tseshaht leadership tell CTV News their project will be fully funded by the federal and provincial governments.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.