Aboriginal Bad Faith: Six Nations want money other bands need.

Vincent J. Curtis

21 July 21

RE: Six Nations hopes former residential school as searched ‘as soon as possible.’  Hamilton Spectator news article by Kate McCullough 21 July 21.

What is clear upon a moment’s reflection is that the location of a residential school graveyard on Six Nations, if it exists, does not exist in the living memory of anyone on Six Nations.  The story reports that some locations on the site of the former residential school were searched by ground penetrating radar and archeological assessors, and nothing was found.  Construction on other portions of the old site which ought to have turned up something, turned up nothing.

Survivors told stories of girls becoming pregnant and babies disappearing, but none of them can recollect the location of a graveyard associated with the school.

Nevertheless, Six Nations band council asked the Federal government for $10 million of a new $30 million fund to search for old graveyards, in addition to another $10 million from the Ontario government.  What did they plan to squander this money on?  There was no budget associated with the demand, and no search project in prospect.  And ground penetrating radar searches aren’t that expensive.

We are led inevitably to bad faith.  The government is handing out money, so Six Nations band council cynically puts out its hand too.  Never mind those who might actually be able to use the money properly.

All traces of a school graveyard, if it ever existed, must have completely disappeared by the 1940s.  So, what is the point giving Six Nations $10 million again?

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