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June 3, 2021

The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

The Hon. David Lametti
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8

 

Dear Prime Minister and Minister:

Re: Discovery and Recovery of Remains of 215 Children at Indian Residential School in Kamloops
Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act S.C. 2000, c. 24

The underlaying state-sanctioned circumstances and federal government policies and legislation which led to the remains of 215 First Nation children recently and tragically being recovered on the grounds of the former Indian Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia meet the tests of crimes against humanity in accordance with the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act S.C. 2000, c. 24 and Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

A review of the complete history of the Indian Act and all amendments, including a review of the related Hansard for each and every legislative step, reveal a collection of open and unguarded racist statements which form an irrefutable record of the unclothed intentions of government and Parliamentarians to establish and formally set into action a state-sanctioned policy of systemic and progressive cultural genocide and the intentional social and economic isolation and impoverishment of First Nations across Canada which measures collectively meet the tests of crimes against humanity.

The Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, Inc. calls on Minister Lametti in his role and as the independent Chief Law Officer of the Crown to immediately commence an investigation with the objective of determining the basis for prosecution under Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

Please contact Brennan Manoakeesick, Chief of Staff at (204) 795-0449 or [email protected] for further information or to discuss these matters.

Sincerely,

Grand Chief Garrison Settee
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.

 

cc. MKO Executive Council and First Nations
The Hon. Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Michael Anderson, MKO Policing and Public Safety Advisor