Kamloops Graves BOMBSHELL — No Bodies!

Global media’s 2021 hysteria over “215 mass graves” at a Canadian residential school crumbles as the Indigenous tribe now admits no bodies or graves were ever found, exposing years of unchecked narrative-driven reporting.

Story Snapshot

Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation confirms no human remains exhumed or verified at Kamloops site despite 2021 GPR anomalies announced as graves.
Investigation reveals only soil “signatures that resemble burials” in some areas, ruling out others as non-graves after five years of probes.
Media frenzy led to church arsons, lowered flags, and $320M settlements based on unverified claims, eroding public trust.
Historical residential school deaths are real (~4,100 documented), but 2021 “genocide” framing relied on error-prone tech without excavation.

2021 Announcement Ignites Global Outrage

On May 27, 2021, Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced 215 potential unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Ground-penetrating radar detected soil anomalies in the site’s orchard, interpreted as burials of missing Indigenous children. This claim triggered worldwide media coverage framing the findings as proof of mass graves and cultural genocide. Churches burned, Canada’s flags flew at half-mast, and politicians like then-PM Trudeau amplified the narrative without demanding verification.

Five Years Later: No Bodies Confirmed

February 18, 2026, marked a pivotal update from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. The ongoing investigation using GPR, LIDAR, cadaver dogs, and archival records identified some burial-like signatures but ruled out many anomalies as non-graves. No human remains have been exhumed or confirmed at Kamloops. Chief Casimir noted the probe entered its next phase, with consultations among 38 nations debating excavation versus preserving the site as sacred. Exhumation, if pursued, would require complex forensics and DNA matching for community return of remains.

Historical Context of Residential Schools

Canada’s Indian Residential School system operated from the late 1800s to 1996, forcibly assimilating about 150,000 Indigenous children through Church-run, government-funded institutions. Documented deaths totaled around 4,100 from disease, neglect, and abuse, with many buried in unmarked on-site graves due to policy and poverty. Kamloops peaked with over 500 children from 38 nations, but no prior records marked the orchard as a burial ground. Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports confirmed deaths but not mass graves like those claimed in 2021.

Pre-2021 excavations proved rare: 72 bodies at Battleford in 1974, 19 at Muscowequan in 1992, and 34 at Dunbow in 1996. Post-2021, only St. Joseph’s in December 2025 confirmed remains via GPR and dogs; others, including partial digs, found none. This contrasts sharply with Kamloops’ unverified anomalies.

Media Hype and Lasting Consequences

The 2021 announcements at Kamloops and sites like Cowessess (751 anomalies) fueled a narrative of hidden genocide, prompting national mourning and policy shifts. Social fallout included over 100 church arsons and vandalisms. Economically, probes incurred high costs for technology and forensics, while politically, it advanced $320M settlement discussions. Critics highlight GPR’s 10-15% error rate and question why media rushed to “mass graves” without excavation consensus.

Indigenous tribe admits search has found no graves or bodies at former residential schools – LifeSite https://t.co/rWwxMIr8lU

— James Owen Hannon (@OwenHannon87684) February 21, 2026

Short-term, eroded trust sparked “denialist” debates and shovel-wielding skeptics at sites. Long-term, unproven claims complicate reconciliation, shifting focus to verified memorials over oral histories alone. Non-Indigenous Canadians faced induced guilt, while survivors insist deaths occurred regardless of exhumations.

Expert Views Highlight Overstatement

George Abbott, former BC minister, stresses Indigenous-led decisions amid historical rights denial. The Fraser Institute asserts no mass graves or genocide evidence, distinguishing “forgotten” records from “missing” children. Authors Tom Flanagan and C.P. Champion in “Grave Error” document over 20 GPR announcements with zero post-2021 residential school burials excavated at major sites. Consensus holds: deaths were real, but 2021 claims overstated due to unverified tech.