Survivors' Secretariat

10/22/2026

“Truth cannot coexist with denial; it’s time for Canada to act.” — Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige

The Survivors’ Secretariat welcomes the Anishinabek Nation’s statement in support for the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal’s judgment and its call for Canada to acknowledge the findings and take action.

We encourage everyone to read the statement below and join the call for Canada to fulfil its international legal obligations to Indigenous Peoples.

Miigwech to the Anishinabek Nation for your support.

Read the full statement below.

To read the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal’s Final Judgement, please visit: https://permanentpeoplestribunal.org/57-missing-and-disappeared-indigenous-children-and-unmarked-graves-in-canada-montreal-25-29-may-2026-2/?lang=en

Please read the following statement from Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige in support of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal Judgment on Missing and Disappeared Indigenous Children and Unmarked Graves in Canada.

Learn more here:https://permanentpeoplestribunal.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PPT-57_Indigenous-Children_-Judgement_Final_30_9_2026.pdf

10/22/2026

Every Gift Makes a Difference. Behind every number is a child, a story, a family and community waiting for truth. The Survivors’ Secretariat’s work; from archival research to ground searches and Survivor support is funded by generous people like you.

Together, we can:

• Honour the disappeared children

• Support Survivors on their journeys of truth-telling and accountability.

• Keep history alive with truth and transparency

Help us keep this vital work going.

Donate today: https://survivorssecretariat.ca/donate/

10/21/2026

10/20/2026

At the 57th session of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT), Laura Arndt and Dr. Scott Hamilton described how funding uncertainty and repeated delays disrupt the search for disappeared children and unmarked burials.

For the Survivors’ Secretariat, these barriers can mean putting searches on hold, losing staff, and leaving collected data only partly analyzed. Each interruption requires more time spent securing funding and rebuilding capacity to continue the work.

PPT Judge and Co-Chair Frances Webber described this pattern as a “war of attrition”— repeated obstacles that drain time, resources, and momentum aimed at having the other side quit through fatigue or collapse.

→ Read more in our latest blog: https://survivorssecretariat.ca/a-war-of-attrition-barriers-slowing-the-search-for-missing-children-and-unmarked-burials/

10/19/2026

Join us for The Nature of Healing, a powerful film screening offering a morning of learning, reflection, dialogue, and community with Mohawk Institute Survivors.

Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a facilitated Q&A session with Survivors, creating space for meaningful reflection, listening, and learning.

Upcoming Screenings:

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Monday, November 16, 2026

Thursday, December 10, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Grand River Church
1585 Mohawk Road, Six Nations

Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is required, and seating is limited. This event is free to attend.

To register, please contact Rhonda Johns:
📞 519-445-2424
📧 [email protected]

10/17/2026

For Survivors of the Indian Residential School system, their families, and communities, trauma is not always connected to a single event. The harms caused by Indian residential schools can continue across generations, affecting families, relationships, culture, identity, and wellbeing.

Trauma can also resurface unexpectedly. A story in the news, an image, a conversation, a place, or a memory may bring forward difficult emotions.

When this happens, caring for yourself can look different for everyone. You may find it helpful to:

• Spend time with people who make you feel safe and supported.

• Step away from distressing news, social media, or conversations when you need to.

• Connect with culture, ceremony, language, the land, or community.

• Give yourself permission to rest and move at your own pace.

• Reach out to someone you trust when things feel difficult.

Remember that there is no single way to respond to or heal from trauma.

For the Survivors’ Secretariat, addressing the legacy of Indian residential schools means more than uncovering what happened. It also means recognizing the lasting impacts these experiences continue to have on Survivors, families, and communities.

On World Trauma Day, we honour the strength of Survivors while remembering that healing requires safety, compassion, time, and support.

If You Require Immediate Support, Please Contact:

The Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 to access toll-free, 24/7 counselling and crisis intervention. Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.

The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their Indian Residential School experience.

10/16/2026

In a recent editorial published by The Eastern Door, “Reconciliation is meaningless without accountability.” The writers contrast Canada’s promises of reconciliation with its actions.

From advancing development while not respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights to consultation and consent, to police intervention against land defenders and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

The writer acknowledges the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal as an avenue for international scrutiny when Canadian domestic institutions fall short. Its experts examined injustices against Indigenous Peoples across generations through Canadian legal precedents and international law. The Tribunal’s legal analysis provides advocates with a foundation to press for change.

The writers argue that its judgment could offer a blueprint for action, one that Survivors, the children who never came home and future generations deserve to see put into practice.

To read the full news article, please visit: www.survivorssecretariat.ca/news/in-the-news

10/16/2026