The Roman Catholic order that operated residential schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia has committed to releasing their records. The Missionary of Oblates of Mary Immaculate ran the Marieval Indian Residential School at Cowessess First Nation and the Kamloops Indian Residential School, among others. At those two schools along, hundreds of unmarked graves have been discovered.  

In a statement released Friday, the groups stated they are sorry for their involvement with residential schools and the harm it brought to Indigenous people. They added they have made some progress on the release of the documents but the disclosure is running into issues due to provincial and national privacy laws. 

The Oblates stated they will not block access to the historical documents, as is possible within the law, to establish the truth of what happened in residential schools, while seeking guidance from First Nations as well as federal and provincial governments on these matters. They also state they will work with leaders in the Catholic church to support full truth.  

Previously, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate had released a statement expressing regret after the discovery of 215 graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. 

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation released a statement Thursday asking for the release of the records, saying the navigation of the landscape of the incomplete and inconsistent records is complex and will take time, especially with ongoing barriers preventing full access.  

For those in need of support, the Residential School crisis line is 1-866-925-4419. Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations has established a second number for Saskatchewan residents at 1-306-522-7494.