The Chief of Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc is hoping a promise about “concrete actions” on reconciliation from the Prime Minister will include funding for a healing centre, an elders’ lodge, and a museum.

Rosanne Casimir says a healing centre is needed now more than ever after what’s believed to be over 200 unmarked graves were found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School at the end of May.

“It is extremely important for all those who have been triggered, not only here from Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc but throughout our nation as well,” she said Monday. “It has had a huge huge impact on everyone. So that healing centre is absolutely crucial.”

As for the elders lodge, she says it will allow aging band members get the supports they need to be able to live dignified lives at home for as long as possible.

“We need an elders lodge to be able to assist individuals…where it is culturally safe where their families are from and where they have been rooted,” she said. “It is also about being able to give our elders the dignity to be living at home with assisted daily living supports in place, right through to the extended care.”

“It is also extremely important to know that we are going to be working with the resources whether it be through Shaw, whether it be through Thompson Rivers University, to have the educational component as well to be able to support all of the positions that it is going to take to run.”

Casimir also says the museum will allow the band to share its history with the community.

“You know, right now to this day, we do have artifacts that are held within a New York Museum that are still waiting to come home,” she said. “So that is something that we want to see and be able to have and house here and not only for TteS, but for the nation as well.

“It’s about remembering who we are and where we came from. We can house artifacts and our museum in a place we can pass on from generation to generation.”