The federal government has come to a $2.8-billion agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by two British Columbia first nations related to the collective harms caused by residential schools.
At a Saturday morning news conference in Vancouver, Crown-Indigenous Affairs Minister Marc Miller said the government signed the deal with plaintiffs representing 325 nations that opted into the Gottfriedson Band suit.
B次元官网网址淲hile settlements that are being announced like these today do not erase or make up for the past B次元官网网址� what it can do is help address the collective harm caused by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 past B次元官网网址� a deeply colonial one B次元官网网址� in the loss of language, the loss of culture and the loss of heritage,B次元官网网址� said Miller.
The lawsuit originally involved three classes of complainants, but in 2021 all parties agreed to concentrate initial settlement efforts on survivors and their descendants to ensure theyB次元官网网址檇 receive compensation during their lifetimes.
SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement marked the settlement for the band class of plaintiffs, which Miller called B次元官网网址渦nfinished businessB次元官网网址� from the 2021 settlement.
Miller said the settlement will be guided by four pillars: the revival and protection of Indigenous language; the revival and protection of Indigenous culture; the protection and promotion of heritage and the wellness of Indigenous communities and their members.
It marks the first time Canada is compensating bands and communities as a collective for harms related to residential schools, he said.
B次元官网网址淩econciliation isnB次元官网网址檛 free. This is a lot of money,B次元官网网址� Miller said. B次元官网网址淚s it enough? I think only time will tell, but we know thereB次元官网网址檚 a heck of a lot more to do.B次元官网网址�
Miller said the $2.8 billion for members of the band class will be put in an independent, not-for-profit trust, adding more terms of the settlement will be released in the next month.
Former sh铆sh谩lh chief Garry Feschuk and former TkB次元官网网址檈ml煤ps te Secwepemc chief Shane Gottfriedson launched the suit more than a decade ago seeking justice for day scholars who were abused while attending the schools but who were ineligible for the 2006 settlement for full-time students.
B次元官网网址淭oday we are representing 325 Indigenous nations across Canada and have developed a settlement plan to allow for the nations to work towards the four pillars,B次元官网网址� said Gottfriedson.
B次元官网网址淭his settlement allows our Indigenous nations to control this process B次元官网网址� we will manage and distribute the funds, we will provide it to all 325 nations in a fair and objective manner.B次元官网网址�
Individual nations will decide which of the four pillars to focus on and will develop ten-year implementation plans.
B次元官网网址淭his has never been done,B次元官网网址� Peter Grant, class council for the nations, said at the news conference. B次元官网网址淭his is where the government is saying, B次元官网网址榶ou take care and youB次元官网网址檙e in charge of how you wish to start to repair the damage.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Grant explained that, after the first decade, another ten-year plan will be developed with the intention of ensuring all funds are dispersed after 20 years.
A settlement approval will take place between Feb. 27 and March 1 before a federal court, followed by an appeal period before the funds are transferred to the trust.
Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
