Nice Comment

Comment was by Mrs.B on January 25, 2022 at 6:42pm

93 possible bodies 'reflected' in BC First Nation residential schoo...

The Williams Lake First Nation in northern British Columbia has announced its preliminary results from geophysical testing of lands around the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School.

Using ground-penetrating radar and other technology, the First Nation is reporting 93 possible bodies in the 14 hectares that have been searched so far. Project lead Whitney Spearing says so far, the 93 “reflections” showing from the radar are consistent with human burial. While some are being checked against a historical cemetery, at least 50 are not associated with the cemetery.

WLFN Chief Willie Sellars says they know many of the children who died at the school may never be recovered.

“Their bodies were cast into the river, left at the bottom of lakes, tossed like garbage into incinerators,” said Sellars. “For those children, there will be no headstone, no unmarked grave, no small fragment of bone, to be forensically analyzed.”

The school operated from 1891 to 1981, as part of the Roman Catholic Mission in the area. Thousands of indigenous children were forced to attend. In a news conference today, Sellars says investigators were exposed to the darkest recesses of human behaviours, including starvation, torture, rape and deaths of children at the school. Several members of the clergy were tried and convicted of sexual crimes against the children in the 1990’s.

Sellars says they are grateful to be able to complete the first phase, but the process has been a challenging one for the First Nation.

“This has been an extremely challenging time for WLFN and other First Nations who were affected by the facility at St. Joseph’s,” said Sellars in a release. “We have out of necessity in the course of our investigation opened old wounds and asked people to recount some terrible and harrowing stories. But the information provided has helped shape our investigation and I’m thankful to make progress on this first phase of our work.”

The WLFN is asking for patience and respect. Their key concern is the mental health and well-being of the survivors.

In anticipation of the impact the news conference may have, the first nation created a booklet of Wellness Supports, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Comment was by Grinning Cat on January 24, 2022 at 8:39pm

Joan, you certainly don't need an ophthorectumy! (And happy unbirthday!)

Now if only surgeons knew how to treat rectocranial inversions!

Comment was by Joan Denoo on January 23, 2022 at 11:04pm

Stephen, the word is a fabricated word by my boss, an ophthalmologist some 50+ years ago as I was about to have surgery. He told me the word and suggested I ask the surgeon to give me an ophthorectumy as long as I was unconscious. The surgeon had no idea what I meant and when I defined the word, the whole surgical team broke into laughter. I can't think of a finer way to go "under the knife" than the surgical team laughing. 

I've had many surgeries since then and always ask if I could have an ophthorectumy as I slip into slumber and the only surgeon that understood what the word meant was the eye surgeon. It must be a term they learn as a joke in their training to become an eye surgeon. 

Comment was by Joan Denoo on January 23, 2022 at 10:41pm

Yes, Stephen, I had a good laugh, too. Words not only have meaning, but they also have power ... even if only to make one laugh!

Comment was by Stephen Brodie on January 23, 2022 at 10:19pm

Joan I have never heard of the term before and for the life of me, I thought you were joking. And even if it makes me look silly I still do. Hahaha 

Comment was by Joan Denoo on January 23, 2022 at 8:32pm

Stephen, no, I do not refer to an oophorectomy, I mean ophthorectumy:

oophorectomy: surgical removal of one or both ovaries.

***

ophtho: a branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders,

rectum: the concluding part of the large intestine that terminates in the anus. 

ophthorectumy: surgical removal of the nerve going between the eyeballs and rectum so I don’t have such a shitty outlook on life. 

Comment was by Ian Mason on January 23, 2022 at 4:08pm

That's true, Stephen. 'Oh, him. You know. He was in...He played...'

Comment was by Stephen Brodie on January 23, 2022 at 3:59pm

oophorectomy good oneJoan. 

Comment was by Stephen Brodie on January 23, 2022 at 3:56pm

It's funny we Brits know the faces if not names of many of the good American character actor's. James Hong, I remember from my childhood 

Comment was by Ian Mason on January 23, 2022 at 2:50pm

One of the most recognisable faces from Hollywood. Never a star but a constant and a pleasure to watch. 

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