OPP investigators have set up a toll-free tip line and are hoping to hear from survivors of the former Mohawk Institute residential school in Brantford.
In a media release, police said they want to hear from survivors who have information or witnessed any criminal acts that could have led to any deaths of children at the facility.
The investigation is a joint effort between OPP, the Six Nations Police Service and Brantford Police, OPP said.
In July 2021, survivors of the institution requested police launch an investigation into allegations of abuse at the school and the deaths of missing children.
In November 2021, a search team made up of survivors, community members and Six Nations police began looking for unmarked graves at the facility using ground-penetrating radar.
In January 2022, the federal government committed to providing $10 million over three years for the investigation.
The Mohawk Institute Residential School is considered to be Canada’s longest-running residential school. It opened in 1828 and closed in 1971.
Roberta Hill, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute said the Survivor’s Secretariat “strongly advocated” for the creation of the tip line announced Monday.
The secretariat aims to uncover, document and share the truth about what happened at the Mohawk Institute during its 136 years of operation.
In an email, the group emphasized the tip line is not intended to gather survivor statements about their experiences while at the Mohawk Institute.
“The attempt is to receive information from survivors and others that may have information on children who died at the Mohawk Institute, how they died or where they might be buried,” the secretariat said. “We encourage people with information to call the tip line or, if they prefer, to contact the Survivors’ Secretariat to share what they know.”
Bill Dickson, OPP media relations officer said relatives of survivors who have had stories passed down to them can also contact the tip line.
“We totally understand there has been trauma and harm caused. And we want to hear the stories,” Dickson said.
Legal analyst Ari Goldkind said he questions how well this tip line will work since some survivors and those accused could no longer be living.
“Also from an investigative point of view, police are handcuffed, pun intended, from investigating something from 30, 40, 70 or 100 years ago,” Goldkind said.
Dickson said OPP understand the challenges but it is too early to know where the investigation will go.
“What we need to do is gather the stories, gather the evidence and gather the facts and proceed from there. We can’t speculate on what the outcome will be,” Dickson said.
According to police, the tip line will be monitored 12 hours a day and callers can expect a response within 24 hours.
The tip line can be reached at 1-888-523-8587.
“The police force right now may have very little to nothing to work with hence the appeal to a line that will probably be clogged up with things that will lead to nowhere,” said Goldkind. “To this to me may have a political aspect to it. It may have an ‘appearance of things’ aspect.”
Police said there are also counseling and crisis intervention services available online and called this a complex and difficult investigation.
Support is available to anyone affected by the ongoing effects of residential schools.
The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line can be reached 24-hours a day, 7-days a week at 1-866-925-4419.