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K'atl'odeeche First Nation commemorates site of former residential school, rectory and churches

Members of the K'atl'odeeche First Nation gathered Wednesday for the unveiling of a new Parks Canada plaque that recognizes the important but strained historic relationship between the Dene of the South Slave and Euro-Canadian settlers.

The plaque commemorates the Hay River Missions National Historic Site.

The site was once home to a hospital, residential school, rectory, cemetery and Anglican and Catholic churches. Some of the structures are still standing, many in varying stages of decay.

K'atl'odeeche Chief Roy Fabian's grandmother was one of the first students to attend the mission school.

"When we were setting up this commemoration we really had a hard time because we know what residential school stood for … colonization and oppression," he said.

Even though children died while attending residential school and are buried in the mission cemetery, Fabian hopes the plaque will help people move forward.

"Those kids deserve to be remembered and honoured so that's why to me it was important to build this commemoration," he said.

The mission was recognized as a historic site by the federal government in 2002.

Since then, the reserve added its own memorial, which includes reproductions of apologies from then-prime minister Stephen Harper and the Anglican Church.

The site is owned and operated by the K'atl'odeeche First Nation and the band shares the cost of maintaining the site with Parks Canada.

Parks Canada said in cases like this, it is up to the community to decide when a plaque is unveiled. With the memorial in place, Fabian felt the time was right to install and reveal the plaque this week.

Lisa Prosper spoke on behalf of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

"We hope these events help open discussions of the histories, cultures and realities of Indigenous communities," she said.

Since 2017, Prosper said nine other commemorative events have taken place with Indigenous communities.

"This is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to implement the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada," she said.