Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said cows and plows community meetings will occur in 2022. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Year in Review

Discovery of unmarked graves a turning point for LLRIB in 2021

Dec 23, 2021 | 12:00 PM

The search and discovery of unmarked graves at a historical La Ronge residential school cemetery grabbed the attention of Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) members in 2021.

The search for local unmarked graves began in July after the discovery of children’s remains at Kamloops B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan Indian Residential School sites earlier this year. Tri-community leadership came together to cancel Canada Day events in favour of celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day.

These crosses recently appeared in the former residential school cemetery. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Ground penetrating radar was deployed by SNC-Lavalin technicians on several occasions in the last six months with Chief Tammy Cook-Searson confirming the work is 90 per cent complete. The cemetery is located downtown La Ronge across from the town’s beach and dates back to at least the early 1900s. It’s adjacent to the band’s urban reserve, which was the site of the Lac La Ronge All Saints Indian Residential School, a second school and mostly recently a hospital until the 1990s.

“We started marking some of the unmarked graves that SNC-Lavlin was able to tell us where they were,” Cook-Searson said of the dozens of orange crosses that recently appeared in the cemetery. “We will also be searching outside the cemetery.”

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In the coming months, the band expects to hear back from the federal government is regards to the Treaty 6 Agricultural Benefits Specific Claim, commonly known as ‘cows and plows.’ In October 2018, the LLRIB completed historical research and submitted its claim to the federal government. The claims branch has three and a half years before it is obligated to reply on whether or not they accept the claim.

Back in June, each Clearwater River Dene Nation member received a $44,000 payment as part of a $122 million cows and plows settlement. Cook-Searson noted there will be community meetings in January with the band’s legal counsel to update members where the claim stands.

“That way people know where we are at with the claim because there is a lot of misinformation out there with people thinking we already received the money or have settled a claim,” she said. “With a claim this size, there is no way the band council would be able to settle without the membership knowing or without the membership voting on it. It would have to go to the membership, if and when there is a claim to be settled.”

Construction also continues on the wellness, treatment and recovery centre with a completion date set for the end of next month. The $16.1-million, 20,000-square-foot future wellness centre will include 24 beds for clients, offices for prevention and recovery employees, along with traditional and multi-purpose rooms. The back of the centre will feature a pond with walkways, as well as a building that can be used year-round for sweats.

For operation and maintenance, the band was able to secure funding through the federal government to start the first portion of it, but leadership continues to meet with the provincial government as well in regards to long-term costs.

“We are going to be hiring an executive director for that building, so we can start hiring staff,” Cook-Searson said. “It’s a life-changing facility and it is a facility we need in the north. It will make a difference in people’s lives and in their homes.”

In 2021, the LLRIB also worked to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates with all members of council, along with the council of Elders, vaccinated and employees regardless of department needing to be vaccinated as well. Band members who can prove they are fully vaccinated qualified for a $300 incentive.

As of Dec. 22, there are two active cases (on-reserve La Ronge) in all six LLRIB communities. Cook-Searson wants to remind members not to let their guard down during the holidays and to continue being diligent as the Omicron variants is spreading in Canada.

She also wanted to remind members to be kind this holiday season and be mindful of others.

“Anything can happen in this life and we just have to cherish every moment we get with our family members and our close friends,” Cook-Searson said. “As the New Year comes, I hope and pray for a really great 2022 for our communities.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno