A directive has been issued demanding the release of crucial files concerning alleged unmarked graves at a former Indian Residential School. Federal Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard has ordered the Crown-Indigenous Relations Ministry to deliver the records within 36 days, citing a clear breach of parliamentary law.
The demand stems from a request for information regarding the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation’s 2021 announcement of 215 potential graves located in an orchard. Notably, despite the claim, no attempt was ever made to excavate or recover any remains from the site.
Adding another layer to the situation, the First Nation received $12.1 million in funding earmarked for the “exhumation of remains” and forensic DNA testing. As part of this funding agreement, regular progress reports were mandated, detailing the project’s activities.
When Blacklock’s Reporter sought access to these very progress reports, the department, under Minister Rebecca Alty, attempted to classify them as “confidential information,” effectively blocking their release. A second, related request for all records pertaining to the Tk’emlups school and related “missing children” programs remains outstanding.
The Information Commissioner’s investigation revealed that a substantial 576 pages of relevant records had been initially received, yet withheld. Maynard’s ruling firmly rejects the department’s justification for the delay, stating that staffing issues or competing priorities cannot excuse a failure to fulfill access to information obligations.
Maynard’s report sharply criticizes the department’s inaction, labeling the time taken to process the request “unacceptable.” She emphasized that each day of delay infringes upon the public’s right to access information and erodes trust in the entire access system.
Despite the national attention and a visit from then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the Kamloops site, no parliamentary committee has yet launched a formal investigation into the original claims surrounding the alleged graves. The situation continues to unfold, raising critical questions about transparency and accountability.
The department initially claimed it was “overworked” and lacked the “capacity” to analyze the file, even after a full year had passed since the initial request. This explanation was swiftly dismissed by the Information Commissioner as an unacceptable justification for obstructing access to vital information.
