Draft:Payne Bay Hostel

Abstract

This article examines the Federal Hostels at Payne Bay in Nunavik, Quebec, within the broader context of Indigenous education policies in Northern Canada. Although presented as a community-based alternative to residential schools, these hostels were rooted in the same assimilationist objectives of separating children from their families and suppressing Indigenous cultures (Government of Canada, 2013; Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). The goal of this article is to raise awareness, provide a deeper understanding of this unfamiliar institution, and contribute to a more complete acknowledgement of its impacts on Indigenous communities.  

Section one: Payne Bay hostel system of organization  

Location and Duration

The Federal Hostels at Payne Bay were in Kangirsuk, Nunavik, Quebec, and operated for a brief period from October 3, 1960, to June 30, 1962. The hostels were small-scale facilities that were used by children whose parents were away on trap lines (Government of Canada, 2013).

Admissions  

The hostels primarily served Indigenous children, reflecting the local population, but admissions were not restricted to Inuit; First Nations and Métis children could also attend. The hostels offered care while parents were away, and students typically returned home for approximately two weeks during Christmas vacation (Government of Canada, 2013).

Administration and Staffing

Unlike larger residential schools, the Federal Hostels did not have principals or formal administrators. Instead, teachers and hostel supervisors managed day-to-day operations. Each hostel was small: one housed nine children and the other eight. The hostels were entirely funded and run by the federal government. To this day, no records indicate convictions of physical or sexual abuse at Payne Bay or among staff present there (Government of Canada, 2013). However, it is important to note that many instances of abuse within the residential school system were not reported, making it difficult to determine the full extent of what occurred.

Living Conditions

Children in the northern residential school system, including Payne Bay, experienced challenging and often unsafe living conditions. The hostels were underfunded and poorly staffed, and students were subject to harsh discipline. They lived in unhealthy conditions and were exposed to disease and abuse (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 4). In the tragic event of a child’s death, government policy dictated that children be buried nearby at the least possible cost, unless it was cheaper to return them to their home community or if the family could arrange and pay for the return. Families were often not notified of the death or the burial location, leaving many families still searching for information about their children (Canadian Geographic, 2026).

Section 2: The history behind the policies that made it possible for Payne Bay hostel to be created

Residential Schools in the North differ from the rest of Canada  

Residential schools in the North are very different from residential schools in the rest of Canada. Mainly by the policies that made it possible for residential schooling in the North to be present. In the Northern part of the country, the federal government did not see any chance of economic development or settlement. Therefore, the government was uninterested in creating residential schools and reserves. Moreover, the government also delayed adopting the obligations set out by the Treaties (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015).  

The Missionary Era

Before the 1950s, the Canadian government was uninterested in the North until after the Second World War. This era was called the “missionary era”. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 5) If it were not for Catholic and Anglican missionaries, residential schooling would have no history in the North before 1950 (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 3). The arrival of two Catholic priests marked the beginning of the period of intense Catholic missionary work in the Canadian North. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 13). These early missions became the basis for residential schooling in the North. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 14). Towards the end of the nineteenth century, many patterns became apparent: a strong Catholic presence in the Mackenzie River basin, Anglican domination in the Yukon, the importance of residential schooling in the competition between Roman Catholics and Protestant Anglicans, and, following the signing of Treaty 8, federal funding began in the Canadian North (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 15).  

The Bureaucratic Era

The era of residential schooling in the North after 1950 was marked by bureaucrats replacing missionaries. Prior to 1950, formal education for Indigenous Peoples was almost non-existent except for the mission schools formed by missionaries. After the major oil and mineral discovery in the Northwest Territories in the late 1950s and the increased military presence in the North following the Second World War and the Cold War (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 77), the Canadian government sought to assert its political authority. A significant element of this assertion was the establishment of a series of student hostels and day schools. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 73)  

The Era after 1950

These hostels and day schools were under the control of Northern Affairs instead of Indian Affairs. From the beginning, the system was intended to be integrated into the public school system of the day and not be separate from it. At the end of the 1960s, these schools were transferred from the federal government to the governments of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. In the late 1950s, construction proceeded for the Payne Bay hostel among many others. By 1965, the government was planning further expansion of the hostels. (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 82) It is because of this recent history that residential schools were formed in the Canadian North.  

Section 3: Federal Hostel at Payne Bay and the Northern Experience  

Purpose of the Payne Bay Hostels

The Federal Hostels at Payne Bay was one such institution as part of a broader program launched by the Northern Affairs Branch known as the SHP. They tried to keep the structure as an attempt to replicate the traditional home life of Inuit children (Government of Canada, 2013).  The goal of these hostels was to give Inuit children access to higher education without having to send them far away to larger residential schools. This was seen to be offered as a community-based solution: however, these children were still taken from their homes, had no contact with their families, and were victims of cultural genocide. Aboriginal languages were suppressed rather than supported, which increased the amount of child neglect mainly seen as industrialized (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015).  

The mission of the Federal Hostels system was to assimilate Inuit and other First Nation children, while looking more flexible than residential schools (Government of Canada, 2013). However, this was no less abrupt; it was the same approach as residential schools found in a smaller setting. The impact was still very harmful; it broke down families, created much trauma in communities, weakened cultural identity, killed thousands of Indigenous peoples, caused sickness due to bad life conditions, and negligence.

Ideology behind Payne Bay Hostels

Similarly to larger residential schools, the mentality behind the hostels was to change first nations ways of life. The Government had a goal to change their culture and oblige them to adopt the western way. Their mentality was completely based upon assimilation, where their culture and lifestyle were not valued at all anymore. Even though they were a smaller “community”, the idea was the same: to take indigenous identity away and adopt European ways (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015).  

What students were taught  

Children who attended The Payne Bay Hostel were taught academic subjects mainly, English and Western culture. Indigenous children were forced to speak and write in the English language, abandoning their Nation’s language (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). Western habits were forced upon them, which centered around discipline and structure. Indigenous children were violently punished for speaking their language, having long hair, practicing their culture, and trying to keep their identity. The Government deeply believed that Indigenous children should be taught these subjects to allow them to assimilate into Canadian society. The government’s ultimate mission was to force children to assimilate into society by abandoning their traditions, knowledge, and language. (Government of Canada, 2013)  

Conclusion  

The Federal Hostel at Payne Bay represents a significant chapter in the history of Canada’s residential school system. Through larger residential schools from the south, the hostels nonetheless participated in the same colonial mindset of removing Indigenous children from their communities and families. While the scale and structure of the hostels differed from larger residential schools, the impacts remained deeply harmful, including cultural suppression, family separation, and long-term trauma (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). The limited records available on Payne Bay also highlight the broader issue of missing or incomplete documentation within the residential school system, making it difficult to fully understand the experiences of those who attended.Ultimately, examining places like Payne Bay is essential to recognizing that assimilation policies extended beyond well-known institutions and were embedded in multiple forms across Canada. Acknowledging the full scope of harm caused by colonialism is crucial in efforts toward truth and reconciliation.

References

Canadian Geographic. (2026). Federal Hostel at Payne Bay — Paths to Reconciliation. https://pathstoreconciliation.canadiangeographic.ca/map-location/federal-hostel-at-payne-bay/?mpfy-pin=987

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Canada’s residential schools: The Inuit and northern experience (Vol. 2) [PDF]. McGill‑Queen’s University Press.https://nctr.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2021/01/Volume_2_Inuit_and_Northern_English_Web.pdf

Government of Canada. (2013). Federal hostels at Payne Bay (NAR‑NCTR‑094). National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Archives. https://archives.nctr.ca/uploads/r/National‑Centre‑for‑Truth‑and‑Reconciliation‑NCTR/5/e/5/5e54230fb37adefaebf181355b9ded4a673b8af5068800b0fd86da4c48481937/NAR‑NCTR‑094.pdf