Milton Tootoosis, Malcolm Andrews, Fenton Favel and Floyd Favel were among the descendants of Poundmaker Cree Nation people who attended the Delmas Residential school that burned down in 1948. They are seen here at the site in June 2021. (file photo/battlefordsNOW)

By Angela Brown

Search for unmarked graves

Cadaver dogs indicate presence of human remains at Delmas Residential School site

Jan 5, 2024 | 7:17 PM

Cadaver dogs specially trained to detect historic human remains have identified signs that human remains exist at the site of the former Delmas Residential School.

Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Inc. (BATC) said in a release Friday the report comes from Acahkos Awasisak – Star Children project findings.

One of the project researchers, Alayna Tootoosis, told battlefordsNOW the cadaver dogs “indicated the presence of human remains.”

“What they are trained in to detect, they gave a positive indication,” she explained. “There were two dogs and they each gave a positive indication of the area.”

The investigation was undertaken in the fall of 2023.

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“This research has been a project of the heart, addressing the concerns of our people,” Tootoosis said. “The findings are of a sensitive nature, but it is crucial to transparently present our discoveries.”

Tootoosis noted cadaver dogs were used because the ground at the location wasn’t suitable for Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).

“[The results] were hard to hear the first time, but this is a confirmation and I feel positive to have that out there,” she said.

Tootoosis added the next steps will be to continue trying to identify more burial sites later in the spring.

BATC said in the statement “in a pivotal turn of events, oral Elder testimony has been validated through the deployment of cadaver dogs specially trained to detect historic human remains. The investigation, conducted on Oct, 17 and 18, 2023, provided crucial insights into the dark legacy of the Delmas Indian Residential School.”

BATC noted it’s “honoured and also saddened” to present the results of the Acahkos Awasisak – Star Children Project, since 2021, a dedicated initiative leading the research into the missing children and unmarked graves at the former Delmas Indian Residential School that operated from 1901 to 1948 in Delmas.

The statement continued that the BATC Acahkos Awasisak – Star Children Project is “committed to upholding the truth, acknowledging the painful history, and honoring the lives of those who suffered. As we move forward, BATC remains dedicated to fostering healing and understanding within our community.”

Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs has been the project lead on the ground searches at the former residential school site at Delmas since the searches started in June 2021, using GPR.

In February 2022, the federal government announced $2.78 million of funding over three years to support Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Inc.’s (BATC) work in the search for unmarked graves related to these former residential school sites.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow