Indigenous leaders renew calls for Canada to recognize Timber Bay, Sask. children's home as a residential school
Noland Henderson remembers when he first stepped foot into a school and children’s home in Timber Bay.
He was about six years old at that time, in the early 1960s, when his parents left him in the home’s care while they went out on the trapline. His family’s house was right next door, he said.
Henderson said the school was operated by the provincial government.
“That was the whole nature of that home, very much Evangelical,” said Henderson, adding that his entire day was based around prayer.
"It was a whole series of prayer sessions throughout the day, and then Wednesday was a special day where we had about an hour, hour and a half church service."
But the federal government doesn’t classify the Timber Bay home as a residential school, meaning former students like Henderson don’t get compensated for its role in the school’s operation.
Henderson said the school should have residential school status for how it impacted his Cree culture.
“We weren’t expected to speak our language, and if we did, we got punished,” he said.
Timber Bay Children's Home, near Lac La Ronge. (Source: Linda McCullough)
Timber Bay Children's Home, near Lac La Ronge. (Source: Linda McCullough)
Henderson said some children were strapped for speaking their traditional languages. He said he was strapped once for stealing, and that a lot of children would flee the home in hopes of getting back to their families.
One of those children was 10-year-old Bobby Bird, whose remains were found a decade after he ran away.
New calls are emerging for the federal government to recognize the home as a residential school after the discovery of 215 children’s remains at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C.
Ottawa-based lawyer Michael Swinwood represented the Lac La Ronge Indian Band when the case was before the courts.
In 2017, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled against the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, arguing that the school can’t be classified as a residential school because it wasn’t directly ran by the federal government.
“It had all of the characteristics of a residential school. It was identical,” said Swinwood.
He said when there wasn’t room for children at a residential school in Saskatoon, they would be transferred to Timber Bay.
“Overload is basically what was happening,” said Swinwood. “There was linkage in the way it was operated. There was hardly a difference.”
Swinwood said he’s in touch with the Lac La Ronge Indian Band about potentially taking further legal action outside of the Indian Residential School Agreement against administrators at the school and the both the provincial and federal governments.
He said ground radar searches at the site could help their case.
“My fondest wish is that they do not find any bodies; however, if that was the case, then obviously that’s quite incredible evidence.”
Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said about 2,000 students attended the school in Timber Bay, which operated between 1954 and 1994.
“There are so many dark chapters that have yet to come to light, and it’s essential that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action ensure that the lives lost and the survivors are all acknowledged,” he said in a news release.
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: 1-866-925-4419
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
Correction
This story has been updated with the correct years Timber Bay operated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.