by Daniel N. Paul, CM, ONS, Mi’kmaw Elder and Historian

In the mid 1930s the Great White Father in Ottawa decided that a plan should be developed which would see all the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet in the Maritimes centralized in four locations, two in Nova Scotia, Eskasoni and Shubenacadie, and two in New Brunswick, Big Cove and Kingsclear. The main aim of the proposed program was to solve the Government’s “Indian Problem” in the Maritimes by the complete eventual assimilation of our people into the white culture, which goal I call cultural Genocide.

In late 1935, to get the white supremacist racist inspired project under way, Canada’s Privy Council retained Dr. Thomas Robertson to undertake an in-depth study of the living conditions of our People in the Maritimes. Robertson submitted his report to the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs on June 9, 1936. It is quite a document, full of BS and condescending demeaning generalizations. However, it was accepted as gospel by the Canadian Government. It is too large to be reproduced here, but, if interested, you can read the complete document in We Were Not the Savages.

Thus, by the early and mid 1940s the implementation of Indian Affairs’ Centralization plan was in full swing. New land additions for the four Indian Reserves of the Bands chosen were being purchased and new Indian Agency offices were being built along with modern fully equipped homes for the staff of the Agency and the Indian Day Schools that were being constructed. No expense was considered e ...