Aboriginal Remains Found Under Forest Centre

Aboriginal Remains Found Under Forest Centre

Friday, October 28, 2005 at 15:51

 

 

A consultant for the Saskatchewan Forest Centre says 12 bodies discovered near the downtown building are likely of Aboriginal ancestry.

 

However, that isn’t stopping official from re-burying them in a standard fashion this afternoon.

 

In all, 24 sets of human remains were discovered during construction of the centre earlier this summer.

 

At a press conference at that time, spokesman Austin Beggs and an excavation expert talked about the bodies that had been dug up and sent to Saskatoon for testing.

 

At the time, neither men informed reporters they believed any of the remains were of Aboriginal ancestry.

 

However, news broke this morning that scientists at the University of Saskatchewan have concluded 12 of the bodies exhibit characteristics found in First Nations people.

 

Beggs says he wishes he could have informed the public about that fact, but he himself only found out this morning.

 

Meanwhile, excavation expert Jim Finnegan says that while the bodies may be Aboriginal, they all likely belonged to the Presbyterian Church as they were laid to rest in a traditional Christian manner.

 

Beggs says the bodies are being re-buried at a cemetary this afternoon in Prince Albert, but any group that feels the need to hold additional services can do so if they wish.

 

Beggs says the final report on the human remains should be in his hands sometime next week.

 

He hopes to hold a press conference sometime after that.