Ottawa, 325 nations reach settlement for damage done by residential school system

VANCOUVER — The federal government has reached an out-of-court settlement with 325 Indigenous bands who are part of a class action suit due to loss of language and culture propogated by Canada’s residential school system.

Details of the settlement were unveiled Saturday (Jan. 21) by Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, along with former Tk’emlups Chief Shane Gottfriedson and former shishalh Chief Garry Feschuk, whose nations launched the suit more than 10 years ago.

The deal is built on a group of principles called the Four Pillars — revival and protection of Indigenous languages, revival and protection of Indigenous cultures, protection and promotion of heritage, and wellness for Indigenous communities and their members.

It will see the government place $2.8 billion in an independent, not-for-profit trust.

Each of the 325 bands who opted into the class action will receive $200,000 to develop “a funding proposal that reflects the objectives and purposes of the Four Pillars.” Once the proposals have been reviewed, they will guide the Initial Kick-Start Fund disbursement of $325 million.

The parties will appear before the Federal Court on February 27, 2023 for approval of the settlement terms.

The band class is separate from the survivor and descendent classes, who settled with Canada’s government in 2021.

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For more information:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Support Resources:

• KUU-US Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717
• Tsow-Tun-Le Lum: 1-866-403-3123
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society Toll-Free Line: 1-800-721-0066
• 24hr National Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419