Why Canada is mourning the deaths of 215 children

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The preliminary discovery last week of the remains of 215 Indigenous children – students of Canada’s largest residential school – has prompted nationwide outrage and calls for further searches of unmarked graves. Here’s what we know so far.

The announcement gave an early look at an ongoing investigation by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in western Canada into the deaths of residential school students.

These government-run boarding schools were part of policy to attempt to assimilate Indigenous children and destroy Indigenous cultures and languages.

What do we know about the preliminary findings?

Last week,