The Halton Children’s Aid Society shares the shocked reactions prompted by the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children in unmarked graves on the site of the Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia. We want to honour the lives and spirits of these children. Our hearts go out to their families and the community from whom they were taken. Their grief is unfathomable.

As the local agency mandated to protect children and youth in Halton Region, the Halton Children’s Aid Society (Halton CAS) is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for our staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, resource providers, clients and our Halton communities.

The Halton CAS is very disappointed by the decision of the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) Trustees to not raise the Pride Flag at every school in June to celebrate Pride Month. The gesture of raising the Pride Flag is a strong demonstration of allyship and solidarity with members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Halton Region, across the country and around the world. Preventing equal access to representation is a disservice to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. As students spend a significant proportion of their time each day in the school environment, it is particularly important for them to feel safe and accepted at their schools.