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Who was Kamloops Indian Residential School principal? 'Bulldozer bishop' oversaw schools that abused children

Kamloops Indian Residential School principal's honorary degree is being reviewed by UBC after remains of 215 indigenous children were found on campus

A Catholic priest who served as the principal of Kamloops Indian Residential School may have his honorary degree removed by the University of British Columbia (UBC). The university announced it is considering the matter after priest John Fergus O'Grady's role in the tragic deaths of 215 children is being investigated. UBC was also pushed to rethink their decision following a shocking letter written by O'Grady, that has now come to light.

The bodies of 215 children were recently discovered on the grounds of Kamloops school, one of Canada's largest indigenous residential schools. Called a 'cultural genocide', the remains mark one of Canada's darkest chapters in racism to date. Details are scarce, but the abuse at Kamloops and other indigenous schools has been well-known for decades. In 2008, the Canadian government apologized in Parliament, while acknowledging that abuse was rampant at these schools.

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In light of the uncovering of the tragedy, the life of O'Grady has come under the scanner. It is unclear if any deaths occurred during his tenure as principal. He was reportedly a well-liked person among both staff and students. This is the story of the controversial principal and his role in Canada's racist educational policy. 

Who is John Fergus O'Grady?

O'Grady is most famously known as the 'Bulldozer Bishop', a nickname given for his role in land development and construction of new schools in British Columbia (BC). In 1960, he also opened the first known integrated school in the region, Prince George College. But before all that, he served at Kamloops. Born in Ontario, O'Grady was reportedly ordained in Saskatchewan in 1934. He then worked at several schools, including Kamloops.

The exact tenure of O'Grady is unknown, but a newly-resurfaced letter indicated that he was indeed the principal at the school in 1948. In the November 18 letter, he warns parents to return their children "strictly on time" to school after the Christmas break. "This is a privilege which is being granted if you observe the following regulations," he wrote.  It's unclear where the letter came from, but it quickly found its way to social media and the BC Teacher's Federation website. 

After his time at Kamloops, O'Grady served as the first-ever head of the Prince George Diocese for the Catholic church from 1956 until his retirement in 1986. It was during that time he picked up the nickname, 'Bulldozer Bishop'. As the highest-ranking official in the region, he oversaw several indigenous schools where children were verbally and physically abused. Those abuses were reported at the time to the Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP), but never fully investigated.

In 2020, members of the Lake Babine First Nation filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, claiming the RCMP did not adequately investigate the claims. It is also believed O'Grady marketed his integrated plans in a bid to solicit donations "by playing into stereotypes of a wild, untamed northern Canada where Indigenous people needed saving". One of O'Grady's former students Kevin Beliveau made those claims in a 2001 thesis for UBC.

Beliveau noted that as soon as the Canadian government stopped subsidizing private indigenous schools, efforts by O'Grady to get donations stopped. "O'Grady remains a complex figure who appeared convinced that he was acting in the 'best interests' of Aboriginal people," Beliveau wrote. In 1986, UBC conferred an honorary law degree on O'Grady. The university is now considering rescinding the degree, even though O'Grady is dead. "The university is aware of the community concerns relating to the honorary degree conferred in 1986 to Bishop John O’Grady. The issues raised are deeply upsetting and we take them seriously," they tweeted. Investigations into the school as well as O'Grady's role in the deaths are ongoing.