Search near Northern Alta. residential school finds 88 'potential' unmarked graves

Evidence of potential unmarked graves has been found at a former residential school northwest of Edmonton.

A third-generation residential school survivor, Roderick Willier spent 10 years at St. Bruno's Indian Residential School in Joussard, Alta.

"People were gone, you never see them, don't know if they were sick or transferred out...we never asked. It wasn't meant for us to be asking that stuff," he said.

Now Grand Chief of Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council, Willier says those questions are only starting to be answered..

"My mom said 'be careful' all the time. I didn't know what she meant, 'be careful' all the time, but as you get there you learn. You got to see, you got to hear," he said.

Hoping to find some answers, the council and neighbouring First Nations invited an Indigenous archaeology team out to the former residential school site.

This week, the group released the findings from the first phase of a ground-penetrating radar search.

"Our total of potential unmarked graves was 88, with 69 of those being inside of the cemetery and the remainder being outside," said Kisha Supernant from the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology.

The results were not a surprise to Willier, who says rumours swirled while he went to school, and long after he left.

He hopes these findings will help other survivors heal and address intergenerational trauma.

"To connect the children and forget the past, so they become better parents and they can look after their kids better than what we went through. That's what it's all about, connection back to who you are," Willier explained.

Last weekend, a gathering with more than 1,000 survivors and community members was held at the former residential school site.

Willier says it gave them a chance to come together in prayer and ceremony.

"It's not like they were crying or anything. Just letting out a breath, like it was finally happening and people know. Know what I'm saying? Cause it was hidden for so long," he said.

What has been found is only the start, he believes.

The nations are working with the province and the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology on next steps.

Joussard, Alta. is located on the shore of Slave Lake, about 330 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419, or the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll-free line at 1-800-721-0066.

Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.