Despite pledges from other provinces, Manitoba so far unwilling to pay to uncover residential school graves

While other provinces are pledging to use their own money to search for unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools, Manitoba's government is so far reluctant. 

On Tuesday, Premier Brian Pallister was asked specifically if Manitoba would change its position and commit the money.

"We won't change our stance: our stance was never against putting money toward this [search], but partnering with the federal government and First Nation communities already on a couple of projects. We'll continue to do that," he said at a news conference following the Western Premiers' Conference.

Pallister did not specify which projects he was referring to, and his office hasn't responded to CBC's request for clarification.

A national outcry was sparked last month after the grim discovery of the burial grounds at Kamloops Indian Residential School, where the remains of 215 children lie. Since then, mounting calls have urged Canadian provinces to pay for search efforts.

On Tuesday, Ontario pledged $10 million to identify, investigate and commemorate residential school burial sites in the province, while Alberta Premier Jason Kenney told reporters a "multi-million dollar package" of grants was being prepared to help First Nations uncover any graves.

Pallister says he isn't passing the buck

At the same news conference, the premiers of B.C. and Saskatchewan promised to put forward any resources necessary, while Yukon's premier vowed to follow the lead from First Nations leadership in his territory on how to proceed.

The federal government recently allotted $27 million for the uncovering of unmarked graves.

In Manitoba, Pallister isn't digging into the province's coffers so far. In the days following the discovery in Kamloops, the premier said he wasn't "passing the buck" when he said it was up to the federal government — the focal point of many of the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission — to lead the charge, and vowed Manitoba would partner.

The lack of action from Pallister is discouraging, NDP Leader Wab Kinew said Tuesday. 

"The fact that we don't see a commitment from the province of Manitoba that reflects their true priorities. It reflects that this search for grave sites at former residential schools is not something that they're going to do without more pressure," he said.

Several First Nations in Manitoba have announced they plan to conduct searches for unmarked burial sites.

Across three areas near the former residential school site in Brandon, Man., Sioux Valley Chief Jennifer Bone said an investigation has identified 104 potential graves.

On Tuesday, Pallister said his Progressive Conservative government remains committed to adhering to the TRC's calls to action. He portrayed community-based partnerships as the way forward "to effectively heal."

If there's any good that emerged from the Kamloops tragedy, it is the "real history and the real reality of our country needs to be looked at, scars and all," Pallister told reporters, "and it needs to be looked at together in a spirit of partnership.

"This is how we built this country, but we didn't build it perfectly and we need to acknowledge that." 

In other news from the western premiers' meeting, the official communique from the conference reiterated the premiers' unanimous call for an increase in federal funding for health care.

At the news conference, the premiers said they spoke at their meeting on the need for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to develop a plan for reopening the federal border with the United States.

When asked about easing restrictions on interprovincial travel, Pallister said any reopening should be tied to vaccination uptake.

Meanwhile, all premiers, except for Saskatchewan's Scott Moe, declined to answer when a reporter asked if they support Alberta for questioning an equalization process for have-not provinces. A referendum is being considered.

Moe said he'd support Alberta if their referendum succeeds.