Radar searches have revealed, near a former Canadian Catholic residential school in British Columbia, 17 graves that may contain the bodies of 751 children from indigenous communities. This was reported by the Canadianpress citing a First Nation (a community of indigenous people in Canada) that is publishing the results of a preliminary research on anonymous graves identified on the grounds of a former residential school. The cemetery is located near the former Marieval Indian Residential School, located in the Cowesses First Nation area of southern Saskatchewan.

More than 150,19 Native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 70th century until the <>s in an attempt to isolate them from the influence of their families and culture, Christianize them and assimilate them into the dominant society, which previous governments considered superior. The Canadian government admitted that physical and sexual abuse and abuse was rampant, with students beaten for speaking their native language.

That legacy of abuse and isolation is considered by indigenous leaders to be a major cause of epidemic rates of alcohol and drug addiction on reservations. In April last year Pope Francis apologized for the crimes committed with the complicity of the church, and the following July he went to Canada and met with representatives of indigenous communities.