Ottawa set to start negotiations with Indian Day School survivors: lawyer

“We are seeking compensation – direct compensation – to individuals.

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

Kathleen Martens
APTN News

The law firm handling settlement discussions with Ottawa says negotiations on compensation for former Indian Day School students should begin soon.

“It’s early stages yet,” said Robert Winogron with Gowling in Ottawa.

“But we are seeking compensation – direct compensation – to individuals.”

The firm shared the news with chiefs at the Assembly of First Nations annual general assembly in Vancouver Thursday.

Winogron said negotiations will get underway with federal government representatives and Department of Justice lawyers now that Ottawa recognizes the class-action lawsuit has been certified.

He said the settlement is seeking compensation for two classes of victims – survivors and families of survivors.

While survivors would be compensated financially, families could see their pain and trauma recognized through commemoration and healing programs.

“That will be the subject of negotiation and different models are being considered,” Winogron said in a telephone interview.

“There is nothing confirmed yet but we anticipate starting shortly.”

So far, the legal team says there are between 120,000 and 140,000 living day school survivors who attended more than 700 schools.

They were excluded from the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, because they went home at night.

But the lawyers say they suffered similar emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and a negative impact on their language and culture.

“Many of them feel abandoned because they weren’t included,” Winogron said. “And so we’re trying to right that as best we can.”

Winogron said day school survivors are eager for a settlement.

“We get calls – I can’t tell you how many calls we get – we get calls daily,” he added.

“People have been waiting a long, long time.”

 

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44 thoughts on “Ottawa set to start negotiations with Indian Day School survivors: lawyer

  1. went to day school for 2 years residential school was right nest to our reserve was scary walking through the gate and i was always spooked had older sibling who went to residential school and they weren t happy when they got home as a younger brother i felt and seen my syblings pain one time i was talking to my sister and a pesrson come along dragged her away by the ear and said you cant talk to outsiders i ran home cryoing told my parents so with 11 sibling i had a tough time going through all the crap

  2. went to day school for 2 years residential school was right nest to our reserve was scary walking through the gate and i was always spooked had older sibling who went to residential school and they weren t happy when they got home as a younger brother i felt and seen my syblings pain one time i was talking to my sister and a pesrson come along dragged her away by the ear and said you cant talk to outsiders i ran home cryoing told my parents so with 11 sibling i had a tough time going through all the crap

  3. Good morning wondering if the Residential school survivors are able to apply for this too? went to Indian Day school till I was sent to Residential school? so was in the system for a least 5 or 6 years prior to Residential school.. thanks

  4. Good morning wondering if the Residential school survivors are able to apply for this too? went to Indian Day school till I was sent to Residential school? so was in the system for a least 5 or 6 years prior to Residential school.. thanks

  5. Hi it’s about time we are looked at for the similar abuse we experienced.

    Thanks

  6. My siblings and myself went to school Smithers to where a nun named sister Mary Andrew, told my mom I was too dumb to learn anything and that I was wasting their time to be in school .my mother was a survivor of the residential school today Le Jack when my mom heard what She said she pulled me out of school I only had grade 5. So it seams that I was treated to the same abuse has my parent, we had to knee on a broomstick if we were talking in class, we had a rule whipped over our knuckles…I don’t know if this is part of this, Indian day school…

    My father was abused from the first night to the last, he came home a broken man, his own father didn’t know him so he was send to his uncle…my fathers three sisters never came home they die from giving bath at a young age…why can’t we has a fathers and mothers children calm for them, we never when to the Indian-residential-schools…but we all suffered the effects of it…

  7. My siblings and myself went to school Smithers to where a nun named sister Mary Andrew, told my mom I was too dumb to learn anything and that I was wasting their time to be in school .my mother was a survivor of the residential school today Le Jack when my mom heard what She said she pulled me out of school I only had grade 5. So it seams that I was treated to the same abuse has my parent, we had to knee on a broomstick if we were talking in class, we had a rule whipped over our knuckles…I don’t know if this is part of this, Indian day school…

    My father was abused from the first night to the last, he came home a broken man, his own father didn’t know him so he was send to his uncle…my fathers three sisters never came home they die from giving bath at a young age…why can’t we has a fathers and mothers children calm for them, we never when to the Indian-residential-schools…but we all suffered the effects of it…

    1. Anniin call 844 539 3815 or check the day school web site miigwetch Garry McLean

  8. Good morning, I sent in paper work on the Indian Day School and the abuse we went through when we were in school by the nuns, just wondering if there is any news on the settlement,

  9. Good morning, I sent in paper work on the Indian Day School and the abuse we went through when we were in school by the nuns, just wondering if there is any news on the settlement,

  10. Yes I attended a Indian Day school and what we had to go through every day at school was terrible was forced to get a shot of cod liver oil every day and forced to eat a biscuit we called it dog biscuit because that’s what it tasted like and weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom until the teacher said it was ok. Yes we were allowed to go home every day but what we had to go through everyday at school was not right.

  11. I was one of persons that went to day school at Berens River Catholic mission

  12. Del a wann I am tsimshian nisg’a and what about the 60 a scoop I feel that we need new treatment center for the new drugs .new traumas .and get people to come in .maybe like 1- 2 weeks at time..deal with SHAME ..TRAUMAS..ALL THAT INCASE IT…AM from foster home back in 70.s with my two brothers .but I feel we need to have a longhouse in Prince Rupert on water front and this would belong to all pols of Prince Rupert and would help build it this place to do healing work in. ..but I am very very unhappy that we didn’t get anything. When mom got that poor man’s sailor. And need 1st nation’s health support workers when ppl do discovery and we are people of telling our history in our tongue .so language is big big plus ..edcation is must ..not my law but when we take something out .must put back healthy things but I so like to also see a men’s treatment center in Prince Rupert and many many other places in bc ..

  13. Yes I attended a Indian Day school and what we had to go through every day at school was terrible was forced to get a shot of cod liver oil every day and forced to eat a biscuit we called it dog biscuit because that’s what it tasted like and weren’t allowed to go to the bathroom until the teacher said it was ok. Yes we were allowed to go home every day but what we had to go through everyday at school was not right.

  14. Del a wann I am tsimshian nisg’a and what about the 60 a scoop I feel that we need new treatment center for the new drugs .new traumas .and get people to come in .maybe like 1- 2 weeks at time..deal with SHAME ..TRAUMAS..ALL THAT INCASE IT…AM from foster home back in 70.s with my two brothers .but I feel we need to have a longhouse in Prince Rupert on water front and this would belong to all pols of Prince Rupert and would help build it this place to do healing work in. ..but I am very very unhappy that we didn’t get anything. When mom got that poor man’s sailor. And need 1st nation’s health support workers when ppl do discovery and we are people of telling our history in our tongue .so language is big big plus ..edcation is must ..not my law but when we take something out .must put back healthy things but I so like to also see a men’s treatment center in Prince Rupert and many many other places in bc ..

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