(Ottawa, ON) June 9, 2022 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) congratulates Kimberly Murray on the appointment as the Special Interlocutor for Residential Schools. The LHF will continue to produce education materials, exhibitions, and podcasts that educate Canadians on the impacts of abuses on 7 generations of Indigenous Peoples and communities as a result of attending Residential Schools.

Kimberly Murray was named Special Interlocutor for Residential Schools on June 8, 2022. Murray is a Mohawk woman originally from Kanesatake in Quebec, and will lead these efforts for the next two years. Over the last year, Murray oversaw an investigation into deaths at the former Mohawk Institute Residential School near Brantford, Ontario. She has served as Ontario’s first-ever Assistant Deputy Attorney General for Aboriginal justice, and was the Executive Director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission working to ensure the stories of Survivors were heard and remembered.

As Special Interlocutor, Murray will work with Indigenous communities who are searching for, and finding, unmarked graves and work towards strengthening federal laws and practices in regards to unmarked burial sites. Murray will also connect with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments, representative organizations, communities, Survivors and families on issues such as grave identification and the potential repatriation of remains.

“The Legacy of Hope Foundation wholeheartedly supports the appointment of Kimberly Murray as the Special Interlocutor for Residential Schools. We are open to working with Ms. Murray in the important work she will do, as we see this as a priority for Residential School Survivors and all Canadians,” said Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel at the LHF.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for over 22 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and impacts on 7 generations of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) children, their families and communities from attending Residential and Day Schools. By fostering empathy and understanding, LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustice and contributes to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples.

The LHF has more than 25 educational exhibitions that promote awareness of Indigenous history that are free to borrow and is working on making exhibitions available online. LHF also has curricula for K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training, and Podcasts all aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, etc. In order to offer solutions on how to be an ally. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.