Prime Minister Trudeau to visit Tk’emlups te Secwepemc

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is travelling to Kamloops on Monday for public events to be held at the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc pow wow arbour.

The Prime Minister's visit to Tk'emlups te Secwepemc on Monday, Oct. 18, will be his first since 215 unmarked graves were found near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May.

The school, which was one of the largest of Canada's Indian residential schools, was the site of many ceremonies over the summer.

READ MORE: Lack of response from Trudeau to invitation an 'insult': Tk'emlups te Secwepemc

The findings sparked a wave of ground radar searches at other Indian residential schools across the country and renewed calls for Canada to fulfill the 94 Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

The federal government instituted the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is Sept. 30, and Trudeau faced a storm of criticism when he visited Tofino on that day, rather than visiting a First Nation.

He was given two written invitations from Tk'emlups leadership to join their National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events, but he did not respond, according to Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir.

READ MORE: Province failed to consult Secwepemc First Nations for CN quarry expansion

Secwepemc leadership and Assembly of First Nations Chief RoseAnne Archibald will speak at a public event on Oct. 18, with Indian residential school survivors and intergenerational survivors to follow.

The Prime Minister is expected to face questions from media at 11:30 a.m., then later at 2:15 p.m., after ceremonies and statements at noon.

The 12 p.m. public event at the pow wow arbour will also be live streamed. To join the live stream, you have to register in advance here.

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