Brantford discovery prompts review into cases where human remains were found in vicinity of residential schools

Ontario's chief coroner says he has begun the work of reviewing unidentified human remains found near former residential schools in Ontario to determine if any investigations should be reopened.

We're looking at our files from the past many years," Dr. Dirk Huyer told The Spectator.

Huyer said he plans to evaluate past cases of unmarked burials in the vicinity of residential schools" to see if they've missed deaths linked to the institutions that sought to systemically - and, often, violently - strip Indigenous children of their culture, language and identity.

The coroner's office will begin with files starting in the 1980s.

Plans to review old cases follow an announcement on Friday that a newly created task force responsible for investigating deaths at the Mohawk Institute would probe an unmarked burial found by police Aug. 5, 2020, near Glenwood Drive in Brantford to determine whether it is connected to the former residential school.

Archaeologists' report revealed the bones, initially deemed not of forensic interest, belonged to a child.

Lawyer and former Truth and Reconciliation Commission director Kimberly Murray, who is heading up a survivor-led search of the Mohawk Institute, said Six Nations archeology contacted her after receiving the report in the summer.

It was concerning to archeology because it's a child," she said.

The archeology company presented its findings to survivors, community members and the task force - comprising three police services and representatives from the province's death investigation system - it was decided there should be further investigation.

We're like, that needs to go to the task force because it's starting to look a lot like this might be a residential school child," Murray said. We don't know ... but there are some things pointing that way."

Huyer said sex, race and identity have not been determined.

The remains discovered in August 2020 were not believed to be of forensic interest, in part due to their age.

Based upon the anthropologist's examination of the bones and the scene, it was not felt to be representative of a new crime scene or a typical crime-scene location," he said.

Historically, remains approximately 50 years or older would not be considered new."

Instead, the burial site was referred to the registrar from the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, who worked with the landowner to conduct an archeological assessment. The assessment revealed the remains were bones of an adolescent - a child under the age of 14.

In retrospect ... given the proximity to the Mohawk Institute and the recognition of unmarked burials in locations that are at or associated with residential schools, this is obviously of forensic interest," Huyer said.

This discovery was a catalyst for a review of decades-old files to see if there are other cases that warrant further investigation. It is unclear how many there are and how long it will take.

I've started to do some work already, but it'll be ongoing," he said.

Going forward, Huyer said a joint discussion" with Indigenous communities and stakeholders would occur whenever human remains are found in the vicinity of a residential school in the province.

For remains found near the Mohawk Institute, the coroner will work with survivors and the task force to make decisions based upon all of the investigative information," Huyer said.

It's a step-by-step process," he said.

Huyer said his office is working closely with Indigenous Affairs Ontario, attending meetings to discuss the potential role that we would have in doing investigations" in other Indigenous communities across the province if that's the choice they make."

Huyer said the work is a considerable undertaking, and that his office is considering next steps," which could include adding team members.

It's a significant issue," he said. There may be unmarked burials that we may not have evaluated as such in the past."

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter covering education at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com