The Town of Tecumseh has joined communities across Canada in lowering the Canadian Flag at Town Hall, Lakewood Park and both Fire Halls. The move is to honour the 215 bodies of children found at the site of a former Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia.

“There are no words to capture the devastating loss to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation community and all First Nation Peoples across Canada,” said Gary McNamara, Mayor of Tecumseh. “Our hearts go out to the families of the children lost.”

The flag at the Peace Tower in Ottawa was lowered to half-mast today and the Department of Canadian Heritage requested flags at all federal buildings and establishments across Canada be lowered until further notice in memory of the thousands of children who were sent to residential schools, for those who never returned and in honour of the families whose lives were forever changed.

The Government of Canada has set up a National Indian Residential School Crisis Line to provide support to former residential school students and those affected. The support provides emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour National Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419. 

The Windsor-Essex branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association also provides emergency Mental Health services through their 24/7 Community Crisis Services at 519-973-4435.

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Media Contact: Lesley Reeves, Manager Strategic Initiatives, 519-735-2184 Ext. 150