Kimberly Murray demands accountability for enforced disappearances of Indigenous children

Tashi Farmilo

In a solemn and powerful gathering on October 29 at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel in Gatineau, Kimberly R. Murray, Canada’s Independent Special Interlocutor on Missing Children and Unmarked Graves, presented her final report. Murray’s findings reveal a stark assessment of Canada’s role in what she described as “enforced disappearances” of Indigenous children in residential schools, urging the government to acknowledge its complicity and address its longstanding legal and moral obligations to these families.

The event drew a large audience of survivors, Indigenous leaders, and government officials who gathered, as Murray described, in an atmosphere “heavy with history”—a history of Indigenous children forcibly removed from their families, many never seen again. At the heart of her presentation was a critical shift in language: Murray called for moving beyond the term “missing children,” insisting these were “disappearances” for which Canada bears responsibility.

“Calling them ‘missing children’ does not do justice to the reality,” Murray stated firmly. “These children disappeared. Their fates were concealed. Families were kept in the dark. We owe it to them to tell the truth, to acknowledge that this was an act of violence and erasure.”

Murray highlighted how the language of “missing” has softened the state’s role, allowing the disappearances to be perceived as isolated incidents rather than the result of systemic policy. Under international human rights law, she explained, enforced disappearances are ongoing violations, meaning Canada’s accountability remains until families have answers.

Her words left many attendees visibly moved, particularly survivors and community elders who have long sought acknowledgment of the injustices committed at residential schools. Elder and Survivor Donna Debassige described the event as a long-overdue reckoning, reflecting, “For decades, we’ve been telling our stories, but hearing this acknowledgment—hearing it called what it is—feels like a step toward healing.”

“Without truth, there can be no reconciliation,” Murray continued, her voice solemn. “For too long, these children were not given the dignity of a proper burial, of being remembered. Now, we must honour them by telling their stories fully, without euphemisms or denial.”

Murray’s report, titled Upholding Sacred Obligations: Reparations for Missing Indigenous Children and Unmarked Burials in Canada, outlines 42 obligations for the government. Key among these is the creation of a new, Indigenous-led legal framework to support the identification and protection of unmarked graves, with the aim of providing justice to affected families. The report calls for full government transparency, including access to archival records that may contain crucial information on the children’s fates and burial locations.

Among her recommendations are the establishment of a federal commission on enforced disappearances, legal protections for burial sites, and sustained funding for Indigenous communities leading search and commemoration efforts. Murray also called on the government to formally acknowledge that its past policies led to the deaths and unmarked burials of Indigenous children—an acknowledgment, she stressed, that must extend beyond apologies to include enforceable action.

In closing, Murray challenged the federal government to meet its ethical and legal obligations to Indigenous communities. “To honour these children, we must also honour the truth of what happened to them. And that requires us to act, not just speak.”

For attendees, the event was a potent reminder of Canada’s unfinished path to reconciliation. Elder Debassige’s words captured the spirit of the gathering: “Today we feel seen, but this is just the beginning. Justice requires more than words. It requires the courage to remember and the determination to make things right.”

Now available to the public, Murray’s final report marks a historic step in Canada’s reckoning with its residential school legacy, offering a framework for accountability and, potentially, healing.