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Four years after the Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced the discovery of what was initially called 215 “unmarked graves” at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, a strong majority of Canadians still want physical proof before accepting the claim.

A new Angus Reid Institute poll shows 63% of Canadians — and 56% of Indigenous respondents — believe exhumation is necessary to confirm that children’s remains are buried at the site. To date, no human remains have been exhumed or confirmed, despite $12.1 million in federal funding for the investigation.

Awareness of the Kamloops announcement is nearly universal: 77% of Canadians have heard of it, with B.C. residents at 88%. But majorities across nearly every region say further verification is needed, with the sharpest skepticism in provinces with the largest Indigenous populations:

• Saskatchewan & Manitoba: 71% – highest in the country.

• Alberta: 66% – above national average.

• British Columbia: 60% – slightly below average despite being home to the Kamloops site.

• Ontario: 62%

• Quebec: 58% – lowest, though still a majority.

• Atlantic Canada: 61%

Even among Indigenous respondents in these provinces, more than half still want verification before accepting the burial claims. And in Saskatchewan, where Indigenous people make up over 17% of the population — the highest proportion of any province — a majority also say it’s time to stop apologizing and move forward from the residential school legacy.

Most Canadians oppose firing people for questioning the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s conclusions. About half say it’s unfair to dismiss professors, teachers, lawyers, or journalists for raising questions.

For politicians, the country is split — two-thirds of Conservatives say it’s unfair to force resignation, while Liberal and NDP supporters are more divided.

And there is overwhelming opposition to criminalizing ‘denialism’.

Despite calls from Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray and NDP MP Leah Gazan to make “residential school denialism” a criminal offense, Canadians reject the idea: 63% oppose criminalization, with only 24% in favour.

Among Indigenous respondents, more are opposed to criminalizing so-called denialism, than not- the split is 45% opposed to 42% in favour.

Nationally, 54% believe the harms of residential schools are ongoing, while 46% say it’s time to move on. Saskatchewan is the only province where a clear majority takes the harder line — saying it’s time to stop apologizing — despite having Canada’s highest proportion of Indigenous residents.

• 68% agree with the TRC’s label of residential schools as “cultural genocide.”

• 52% agree with the broader 2019 MMIWG report’s claim that Canada’s overall policies toward Indigenous peoples constitute genocide.

Even in provinces with the largest Indigenous populations, most residents want physical evidence before accepting the Kamloops burial claims — and in Saskatchewan, the prevailing view is that the apologies have gone on long enough. Canadians may agree on the harms of residential schools, but they reject criminalizing debate and want proof, not just politics.