UManitoba apologizes for inappropriately acquiring, housing Indigenous ancestral remains

The University of Manitoba has publicly apologized to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit descendant communities for inappropriately acquiring and housing Indigenous ancestral remains, burial belongings, and cultural heritage for over a century. UManitoba President Dr Michael Benarroch apologized during a rematriation and repatriation ceremony, saying that “these actions broke a basic principle of our shared humanity: a loved one buried for eternal rest, must remain at peace.” UManitoba has completed a two-year process to create a new policy on rematriation and repatriation, which was implemented earlier this week. The repatriation committee is now contacting communities to return the remains.