March 13, 2023

Ongoing reconciliation work between the Squamish Nation and Catholic Church

The Indigenous Reconciliation team at the Archdiocese of Vancouver would like to provide an update regarding St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in North Vancouver and the ongoing work being carried out by Squamish Nation. We understand the importance of this situation and want to assure the community that we are committed to helping the Nation as they progress on their path toward healing.

We continue to provide full site access to the Squamish Nation as they continue their historic work. Furthermore, we have provided all records related to the former school as part of our commitment to transparency and cooperation. We believe that sharing information and knowledge is essential in fostering a deeper relationship between our communities.

We have also facilitated the Squamish Nation's efforts to refurbish their on-site memorial. It is our hope that this process will provide an opportunity for the communities to come together and honour the memory of former students and their families who were impacted by a deeply flawed system.

We join with the St. Thomas Aquinas community in supporting the healing process and will continue to work closely with the Squamish Nation towards this goal. We acknowledge our responsibility to address the past and move forward in a spirit of cooperation and accompaniment.

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