Welcome to the Mackay Residential School Gathering Inc web site. We are former students of Mackay Indian Residential school in Dauphin, Manitoba. We hold gatherings and plan initiatives aimed at healing, sharing and supporting one another through discussions, workshops, and outreach with other survivors and organizations. Here you will find photos, articles and updates for gatherings.
Notices
September 5 & 6, 2026
Dauphin Friendship Centre, Dauphin, Manitoba
The MacKay Residential School Gathering Inc. committee initially had wanted to have a gathering in Thompson in summer of 2025. But because of the northern fires, it was postponed and we decided to have the gathering or reunion in Dauphin, Manitoba.
I personally thought it was best to have it in Dauphin for a couple of reasons. First, for many it is always the first time for them to attend. And their memories will be triggered by happy, sad, anger and many other emotions. This is a way for them to start on their healing journey.
Latest News
Mackay Indian Residential School survivors meet to talk about moving on
By James Wastasecoot
Former students of Mackay Indian Residential School returned to Dauphin in early September for a gathering built around two words: Moving On.
About 50 survivors registered for the Sept. 5 and 6 gathering at the Dauphin Friendship Centre. Many began arriving Friday evening, Sept. 4, meeting old friends and former classmates before the formal program began. Over the next two days, a large sharing circle brought stories of separation, abuse, loneliness and the difficult lives many survivors faced after returning home. It also brought laughter, affection and the relief of being understood by people who had lived through the same institution.
Rt. Rev. Larry Beardy outlines a commemorative project.
Lead organizer Clara Kirkness of Tataskweyak said Dauphin was chosen partly because some survivors were attending a Mackay gathering for the first time. Returning could stir happiness, sadness, anger and other emotions, she said, but it could also begin or complete part of a healing journey. The location also allowed survivors to visit the former Mackay school building, which has been purchased by a developer for conversion into apartments.
“There was a lot of tears and laughter,” Kirkness wrote after the gathering. “In the end, the reunion and or gathering of the survivors tells me we are resilient people. We need to refocus our energy towards the next generation who was impacted by residential schools but did not attend.”
Organizers brought out a memory blanket honouring former students who have died. The names of deceased survivors will be written on ribbons and added to it. For Kirkness, the gathering also carried the memory of earlier efforts. She recalled organizing a reunion in 2010 with Alice Bear and Dan Highway at the Southeast Resource College, when there was no funding and organizers paid expenses themselves because, she said, “We felt it had to be done.”
Alice Bear story
Alice Bear
On arrival in Dauphin Friday night, my friends, Squeaky, Fanny & Louie, met at Smitty's to catch up on things. We were joined by many others who had also arrived. We had a lot of laughs till Smitty's closed.
The gathering was at Dauphin Friendship Centre Sat & Sun.
Update on Indian Boarding Schools
June 29, 2023 — Ottawa, ON — Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and court-appointed representative plaintiffs Reginald Percival and Kenneth Weistche announced that a proposed settlement agreement has been reached in the Federal Indian Boarding Homes (Percival) class action. The Indian Boarding Home Program was a program in which the Government of Canada placed children from First Nations communities and Inuit villages in other communities (usually non-Indigenous) to stay with private families for their education.
- Individual compensation of $10,000 to recognize the losses caused by placement in a boarding home by Canada for the purpose of attending school. Placements from September 1, 1951, to June 30, 1992, will automatically be included, with provisions made for those placed by the federal government after that date.
- Additional individual compensation, ranging from $10,000 to $200,000, for incidents of physical and sexual or other abuse while residing in a boarding home placement, based on severity of the abuses suffered;
- $50 million to be invested to support the commemoration, healing, language, and culture;
- Funding to support class members who require assistance from legal counsel and other forms of support on their abuse claims.
Former students of Mackay Residential School hold reunion
By James Wastasecoot
Former students of Mackay Indian Residential Schools gathered at the old school in Dauphin Aug. 5 – 7. 2022 to share and support one another in their healing journeys. Groups of students have been holding reunions at the school since 1987, two years after it closed for good. “It was an emotionally wrenching experience for some and for others, it was a happy occasion to visit with old friends and former colleauges,” said Clara Kirkness, event organizer and survivor. “We have about 45 individuals, many of them were new to the experience. It was hard for them to confront what happened to them here.”
Artwork of former residential school students repatriated at Manitoba Museum
By James Wastasecoot
WINNIPEG August 10, 2021 - Mackay Indian Residential School Gathering (MRSG) assisted today at the Manitoba Museum in the repatriation of artwork by former Mackay students, who have since passed on, to their families. Famiiy members of the late Johnny Saunders (York Factory First Nation) and Abraham Lathlin (Opaskwayak Cree Nation) viewed their relative’s painting and gave instructions to MRSG on how the artwork is to be preserved. All survivors or survivor families may decide on the final disposition of their relative’s painting and may have the original artwork shipped to them or a copy made for their family. “It was very emotional for me,” said Denise Lathlin-Cook, eldest daughter of Abraham Lathlin. “I’m very happy to see that he left something behind and I love this painting.” Son, Gordie Lathlin, got the word from his mother that his dad had a painting in the museum. Upon the viewing of his dad’s artwork which he painted when he was 15, he said: “It was awesome. He never really talked to us about residential school. It was wonderful to see his painting.”
Photographs
The group has gathered a collection of photographs over the years, many of which are displayed here. The entire collection is housed at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, University of Manitoba. You can post your old photos to the Mackay School Pictures & Memoriabilia Facebook page. They may also end up here, eventually.
Features
Places
The school grounds. 
School description
Excerpted from “Inspector’s Report on the School Plant and Equipment”
Mackay Indian Residential School
Mackay is a new residential school completed and officially opened in the fall of 1957. It has been designed to provide al facilities of a modern residential school to discharge the combined functions of residence, recreation and education. Instruction is given in 6 modern classrooms of the latest design arranged in a lock on the east side of the building. The block uses a centre hall plan with three classrooms in line on each side of the hall. The classrooms are of standard size with a maximum capacity for 40 pupils each (the ideal number would be 32 pupils). All lighting, heating, paintwork are of the latest design.