Ottawa announces interim settlement with Indian Day School survivors

“We know it’s a new beginning.”

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett (APTN file photo.)

It’s nearly official.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett announced Thursday an “agreement-in-principle” had been reached with former Indian day school students.

“Today marks the historic step in that journey towards reconciliation and healing,” Bennett told a news conference flanked by former students.

One of those students was Gary McLean of Lake Manitoba First Nation, who filed the class-action lawsuit on behalf of an estimated 200,000 survivors.

“We know it’s a new beginning,” McLean told reporters.

“For me, without forgiveness, we know things stay the same.”

Bennett said the final details still had to be worked out and approved by a court.

But she said Canada acknowledged the harms caused by the system that established and guided the schools.

“As a result of the harmful and discriminatory government policies at the time, students who attended these schools were subject to sexual, physical and psychological abuse, and forced to abandon their language and culture,” the minister said.

Compensation will address individual trauma and future healing, Bennett added.

Students in front of Trout Lake Indian Day School in Ontario.

Day school students were forced to attend the federally operated schools during the day but could return home at night – a system that began in the 1920s.

The suit applies to First Nation, Inuit and Métis students.

McLean filed his suit against Canada in 2009.

“Thank you for supporting us to get this far,” he said of his legal team, his family and other supporters.

Bennett said her government was investing $200 million to support healing, wellness, education language, culture and commemoration “for all those affected by Indian day schools.”

 

 

 

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20 thoughts on “Ottawa announces interim settlement with Indian Day School survivors

  1. Mary says:

    I am not good at math but it seems like it’s not a lot of money 200 million split up let’s say 160 thousand people maybe ?

  2. I am not good at math but it seems like it’s not a lot of money 200 million split up let’s say 160 thousand people maybe ?

  3. My name is Art Wilson, acquired my Hereditary Chief name ‘Wii Mukwilixw in 1982. Watched my three neighbour guy friends disappear, (sises too) in the mid 1950’s. I did go to the Kispiox Indian Day school full time but come Friday I was on the land 57 km north of the village. Walked all night in 50-60 below weather. When that was not possible I lived with mom’s mom(granma ) at the edge of the village or with my dad at his cedar pole camp. If you live through the hardship as a child not to mention emotional stress that you maybe next.How do you measure the unforgivable situation your purposely put in. Thanks to dad, he made me believe I could be anything. So I have done so many things with the above disadvantage.

  4. My name is Art Wilson, acquired my Hereditary Chief name ‘Wii Mukwilixw in 1982. Watched my three neighbour guy friends disappear, (sises too) in the mid 1950’s. I did go to the Kispiox Indian Day school full time but come Friday I was on the land 57 km north of the village. Walked all night in 50-60 below weather. When that was not possible I lived with mom’s mom(granma ) at the edge of the village or with my dad at his cedar pole camp. If you live through the hardship as a child not to mention emotional stress that you maybe next.How do you measure the unforgivable situation your purposely put in. Thanks to dad, he made me believe I could be anything. So I have done so many things with the above disadvantage.

  5. Aside from all the na-sayers, how does our First Nation register for this claim ?
    Arnold D,

  6. When I submitted my paperwork I forgot to mention the loss of language, loss of culture and the fear of not passing my grades as we were considered to be slow and I was not stupid just a scared kid

  7. When I submitted my paperwork I forgot to mention the loss of language, loss of culture and the fear of not passing my grades as we were considered to be slow and I was not stupid just a scared kid

  8. Not worth it. Just watch most of this settlement will go to consultant fees, lawyers, trustees, admin fees n us survivors will get a pittance just like residential school settlement.

  9. Not worth it. Just watch most of this settlement will go to consultant fees, lawyers, trustees, admin fees n us survivors will get a pittance just like residential school settlement.

  10. I hope it amounts to more than residential school, because of a life time of abuses, and removal of our languages, beatings, spiritual theft, families broken, communities broken, nations broken. Legislative acts play a huge roll in taking away, but not entirely giving it back either – our lives. We live in the most brutal conditions, compared to the rest of Canadians.

  11. I hope it amounts to more than residential school, because of a life time of abuses, and removal of our languages, beatings, spiritual theft, families broken, communities broken, nations broken. Legislative acts play a huge roll in taking away, but not entirely giving it back either – our lives. We live in the most brutal conditions, compared to the rest of Canadians.

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