Statement from PIMS on the discovery of the remains of Indigenous children in Kamloops and Cowesses

The Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) is saddened by the discovery of the unmarked graves of 751 people outside the former Marieval Indian Residential School at Cowessess First Nation on Treaty 4 Territory. This discovery follows the similar discovery of the unmarked graves of 215 people on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on the territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, and many other unmarked graves across Canada that are now being discovered. These discoveries highlight the violence and discrimination propagated through the residential school system.

PIMS is a distributed institute whose member universities sit on Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories across what is now Western Canada and the United States. As leaders of PIMS, we acknowledge our responsibility to work toward truth and reconciliation.

PIMS commits first and foremost to listening to Indigenous voices. We commit to continuing our work as an active partner in working towards transforming the mathematical sciences community into one respectful of and welcoming to Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Métis students and researchers.

PIMS commits to work towards ensuring that education and research in the mathematical sciences can be part of the reconciliation and reparation process with the Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.

PIMS acknowledges the harm caused by colonialist and racist practices in mathematics education and the mathematical sciences community. While mathematical scientists often perceive their work to be neutral, mathematics is practiced as part of a larger societal context, and is often used to justify discriminatory and racist practices.

PIMS commits to developing and releasing a detailed action plan in 2022, which will include plans for ongoing listening to and consultation with Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.

PIMS joins with Chief Cadmus Delorme of Cowessess First Nation in encouraging everyone to reflect about Canada on July 1st by studying the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Reports as well as the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

PIMS calls on all Canadians and all levels of the government to heed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action 71-76 regarding missing children and burial information and 62-66 regarding Education and Indigenous Youth in order to put an end to the ongoing injustices against Indigenous youth and children.

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