Indian Residential Schools existed in Canada since at least 1828 (while Canada was still a British colony), through Confederation (independence) in 1867, until 1997, when the last one closed. The Canadian federal government began funding these schools in 1876, and various churches operated and managed them. The intent was to equip Canada’s native people with skills that would help them adapt to — and hopefully thrive within — the “white man’s” society. Results were mixed at best, and over the years, there were allegations of abuse and even deaths. Some schools were no doubt worse than others. But other residential schools not only educated their students, but rescued them from the poverty, domestic abuse, and alcoholism found on many reserves.
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Sadly, the controversy around residential schools has led to irresponsible allegations, conspiracy theories, and urban legends. Indeed, the former facility in Kamloops, British Columbia, which existed from 1890 until 1978 and was administered by the Catholic Church until 1969, is a classic example of allegations getting out of hand in a hurry.
It began in May 2021, when ground-penetrating radar discovered “soil anomalies” on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. For the record, “soil anomalies” prove nothing. They may be anything from graves to an old septic field to tree roots to whatever. Unfortunately, too many people, from T’kemlu’ps te Secwe’pemc (Kamloops Indian Band) chief Rosanne Casimir to then–prime minister Justin Trudeau to Canada’s legacy media assumed the worst and, without an iota of proof, got it into their heads that these were the remains of 215 First Nations children — later reduced to 200 — who were murdered by priests, nuns, and other school staff.
Hysteria reared its ugly head, with claims of genocide and mass murders. Some with a feral hatred of Christianity used this as their excuse to burn or vandalize north of one hundred churches, while our at best indifferent governments at all levels stood by and did almost nothing. These crimes continue right up to this day with very few arrests and very few charges laid. Anti-Christian hate in Canada — like the hatred of Jews — is significant and seemingly condoned by the elites (nothing to see here, folks). It has even reached the point where our federal government has communistically and nonsensically decreed that military padres make no reference to God during November 11 Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Anyway, five and a half years have passed without excavations, which are necessary to prove or disprove the allegations of foul play. That is not the way to treat an alleged crime scene. This matter would have been put to bed long ago if excavations had occurred back in the spring and summer of 2021. Why the delay? A cynic may easily conclude that the Canadian government and the T’kemlu’ps te Secwe’pemc band fear being proven wrong and want to avoid embarrassment
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And then there is the money. The Canadian government gave the Kamloops Indian band approximately $12.1 million for excavations and related activities. Was all that money justified? What happened to it, given that there have been no excavations? Was it really necessary to hire twenty-five consultants, and how much were they paid? Perhaps a couple of consultants would have been helpful, but twenty-five?
In addition, the federal government provided the T’kemlu’ps te Secwe’pemc band with $12.5 million to build a healing center. We can debate whether this is necessary, and indeed it may provide invaluable support to those who have been traumatized or suffer from mental illness or extreme anxiety. But should it really cost $12.5 million?
On a concluding note, the federal government shelled out $24.6 million in response to allegations of murdered children with seemingly little to show for it. An audit is necessary, and money inappropriately spent must be returned to federal government coffers. Likewise, money not spent should be returned unless applied to imminent excavations.
It is high time to excavate, as that is the only way to prove that crimes were committed. Failing that, we must stop accusing residential school staff and the Catholic Church of heinous crimes when there is zero evidence to support the allegations.
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Image via Pixabay.