Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement is an agreement between the Government of Canada and approximately 86,000 Native Canadians who at some point were enrolled as children in the Canadian Indian residential school system, a system which was in place between 1879 and 1996. The IRSSA recognized the damage inflicted by the residential schools and established a $1.9 billion co…
Full Answer
What is the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in Canada?
Indigenous peoples. in Canada. The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) is an agreement between the Government of Canada and approximately 86,000 Native Canadians who at some point were enrolled as children in the Canadian Indian residential school system, a system which was in place between 1879 and 1996.
What is included in the settlement agreement?
The Settlement Agreement includes five different elements to address the legacy of Indian Residential Schools: a Common Experience Payment (CEP) for all eligible former students of Indian Residential Schools
When did the last Indian Residential School close?
While most of the 139 Indian Residential Schools ceased to operate by the mid-1970s, the last federally-run school closed in the late 1990s. In May 2006, the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement was approved by all parties to the Agreement.
How much did the IRSSA pay Indian residential school students?
The IRSSA offered former students blanket compensation through the Common Experience Payment (CEP) with an average lump-sum payment of $28,000. The CEP, a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, totaling $1.9 billion, was "part of an overall holistic and comprehensive response to the Indian residential school legacy."
Who paid for the Indian Residential Schools?
The Canadian governmentThe Canadian government was financially responsible for Indian residential schools. Indian residential schools operated in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. Indian residential schools operated in Canada between the 1870s and the 1990s.
What has Canada done to compensate for residential schools?
The unprecedented reparations deal includes a $10,000 "common experience" payment to the approximately 90,000 living students who attended the residential schools; an additional $3,000 for every year the students attended; nearly $200 million in funding for healing and educational programs; and the option of pursuing ...
What is the truth about Indian Residential Schools?
At the schools, students were forbidden to speak Native languages and practice their culture. Testimony from surviving former students presents overwhelming evidence of widespread neglect, starvation, extensive physical and sexual abuse, and many student deaths related to these crimes.
What prompted the Indian schools reconciliation agreement in Canada?
In 2004, an Assembly of First Nations Report on Canada's Dispute Resolution Plan to Compensate for Abuses in Indian Residential Schools led to discussions to develop a holistic, fair and lasting resolution of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools.
How much money do natives get when they turn 18 in Canada?
Children under the age of 18 will be eligible for a lump-sum payment of $20,000 when they turn 18, or they can choose to receive an annual payment that is adjusted depending on their current age, once they turn 18.
How much money do residential school survivors get?
between $10,000 and $200,000The first lawsuit, approved in 2019, was the Federal Indian Day School Class Action or McLean Action. That settlement pays eligible survivors between $10,000 and $200,000 in compensation, depending on the severity of their abuse.
What happened to babies born in residential schools?
They were given new names, forcibly converted to Christianity and prohibited from speaking their native languages. Thousands died of disease, neglect and suicide; many were never returned to their families. The last residential school closed in 1996.
Did non Indigenous children go to residential schools?
Second, non-Aboriginal children also attended residential schools in significant numbers. Third, Aboriginal children were not systematically punished for speaking their native languages. And fourth, no one knows how many Aboriginal residential school students died of abuse and neglect.
Who started residential schools?
Religious instruction and discipline became the primary tool to “civilize” indigenous people and prepare them for life as mainstream European-Canadians. To achieve this goal, Prime Minister Macdonald authorized the creation of new residential schools and granted government funds for those that were already in place.
What caused death in residential schools?
Many of the students had diseases such as tuberculosis, scrofula, pneumonia and other diseases of poverty. Often, the students with tuberculosis were sent home to die, so the mortality rate of the boarding schools is actually greater than the number of children who died at those institutions.
Why did Canada create residential schools?
Residential Schools were part of an extensive education system created to culturally assimilate Indigenous children and force them to adapt to Euro-Canadian society.
Who started residential schools and why?
The first boarding schools for Indigenous children in what would become Canada were established by Roman Catholic missionaries in 17th century colonial New France.
What has Canada done to reconcile with Indigenous?
Investing in Housing for Indigenous Communities $2.4 billion over five years to support First Nations housing on reserves; $565 million over five years to support housing in Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Holder First Nations communities; $845 million over seven years to support housing in Inuit communities; and.
What has the Canadian government done for indigenous peoples?
On March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada announced $305 million for a new, distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund (ICSF) through its COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
What has the Canadian government done for reconciliation?
The Government of Canada has established permanent bilateral mechanisms with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation leaders to identify joint priorities, co-develop policy and monitor progress.
How did the Canadian government apologizes for residential schools?
The Canadian government has said physical and sexual abuse were rampant at the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages. Francis on Monday apologized for the “evil” of church personnel who worked in the schools and the “catastrophic” effect of the school system on Indigenous families.
When was the settlement of residential school claims approved?
In Regina, Saskatchewan, on December 15 , 2006, Justice Dennis Ball, approved the "settlement of class and individual residential school claims" under the IRSSA.
How much did the IRS pay for Indian residential schools?
The IRSSA recognized the damage inflicted by the residential schools and established a $1.9-billion compensation package called CEP (Common Experience Payment) for all former IRS students. The agreement, announced in 2006, was the largest class action settlement in Canadian history. As of March 2016 a total of $1,622,422,106 has been paid to 79,309 former students. An additional $3.174 billion has been paid out as of December 31, 2018, through IAPs (Independent Assessment Process) which are for damages suffered beyond the norm for the IRS.
How much did the Truth and Reconciliation Commission spend on Indian residential schools?
Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. IRSSA allocated $60 million for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to document and preserve the experiences of survivors. The Commission was launched 2 June 2008.
How much money was given to the Independent Assessment Process?
The IRSSA allotted $960 million to the Independent Assessment Process (IAP), "a settlement fund for claims of sexual abuses, serious physical abuse and other wrongful acts" at IRS which "provides money to those who experienced serious physical and/or sexual abuse at an Indian Residential School (...)
What is the purpose of the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution?
In 2001, the federal Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada was created to manage and resolve the large number of abuse claims filed by former students against the federal government. In 2004, an Assembly of First Nations Report on Canada’s Dispute Resolution Plan to Compensate for Abuses in Indian Residential Schools led to discussions to develop a holistic, fair and lasting resolution of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools.
What is Indian residential school?
Indian residential schools were a network of "residential" (boarding) schools for Native Canadians ( First Nations or "Indians"; Métis and Inuit ). These schools operated in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The first school opened in 1828, ...
Who helped negotiate IRSSA?
In an April 18 article, former AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine, who helped to negotiate the IRSSA and also assisted the Catholic entities with the fundraising campaign, was quoted as saying, "The government is ultimately responsible for meeting all of the financial obligations [...] I don't know about legally, but there's a moral obligation here [...] We're dealing with close to 80,000 survivors and it's important for them that they be treated fairly and justly." Describing his work with the fundraising campaign, he said, "We tried very hard to meet the commitment that the Catholic church entities faced. We were unsuccessful." Senator Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, "pointed out that one of the commission's calls to action was for the parties to the settlement agreement – the churches and the government – to establish permanent funding for healing and reconciliation." The article quoted Sinclair as saying, "When two of the defendants make a deal between themselves that ends up in a loss of funding to the survivors, then who really suffers?" An April 19 article stated that Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett "said it is not up to the government to compensate for the shortfall", and further quoted Bennett as saying that the Catholic Church should pay and that the government would "apply deeper pressure" to that end.
When did the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement begin?
The implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement began on September 19, 2007. The Settlement Agreement represents the consensus reached between legal counsel for former students, legal counsel for the Churches, the Assembly of First Nations, other Indigenous organizations and the Government of Canada.
What is the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat?
The mandate of the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat is to implement and administer the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) under the direction of the Chief Adjudicator in an independent, objective and impartial manner.
What is common experience payment?
The Common Experience Payment is one of two components of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement that provide financial compensation, along with the Independent Assessment Process. Applications for the Common Experience Payments are no longer being accepted.
What did Stephen Harper say about Indian residential schools?
On June 11, 2008, on behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stood in the House of Commons to acknowledge the inter-generational damage caused by this policy to former students of Indian Residential Schools, their families and communities; to offer an Apology; and to ask for forgiveness from the Indigenous peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly . The Apology underlined Canadians' resolve to learn from these tragic events to ensure they will never be repeated.
What is a CEP in Indian schools?
a Common Experience Payment (CEP) for all eligible former students of Indian Residential Schools
When did Canada apologize for Indian residential schools?
Highlights from June 11, 2008, the day the Prime Minister of Canada issued an apology for the Indian Residential Schools system.
When did the last federally run school close?
While most of the 139 Indian Residential Schools ceased to operate by the mid-1970s, the last federally-run school closed in the late 1990s.
The Residential School System
- While there were residential schools in Canada as early as the 17th century in New France, the residential school system did not really develop until after the passage of the Indian Act in 1876, which gave the federal government the right and responsibility of educating (and assimilating) I…
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
- Indigenous communities, governments, and church organizations have long struggled to heal the wounds inflicted by the residential school system. From the 1980s on, former students launched legal campaigns to push the government and churches to recognize the abuses of the system, and to provide some compensation. In 1998, the federal government issued a Statement of Rec…
Common Experience Payment
- Under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, $1.9 billion was set aside for all former residents of the schools. Every former student would receive $10,000 for the first year of schooling, and $3,000 for each subsequent year. According to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada(INAC), 98 per cent of the estimated 80,000 eligible former students had received payme…
Independent Assessment Process
- In addition to the Common Experience Payment, funds were allocated for the Independent Assessment Process (IAP), an out-of-court process for resolving claims of sexual abuse and serious physical and psychological abuse. As of 31 December 2012, over $1.7 billion had been issued through the IAP. According to Dan Ish, chief adjudicator of the Indian Residential School …
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- The Settlement Agreement also set aside $60 million for a five-year Truth and Reconciliation Commission that would provide opportunities for individuals, families, and communities to share their experiences. The Commission, established in 2008, was directed to raise public awareness through national events (e.g., Winnipeg in June 2010; Inuvik, NWT, in June 2011; Halifax in Octob…
Commemoration
- An important aspect of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement was the emphasis on acknowledging the impact of residential schools and honouring the experiences of former students, as well as their families and communities. To this end, the Settlement Agreement established a fund of $20 million for commemorative projects. This process involved the Truth a…
Health and Healing Services
- The Settlement Agreement also included $125 million for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), and it established the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program. This program would provide support for former students in terms of mental and emotional health, with the services provided by elders and Indigenouscommunity health workers as well as psychologi…
Criticism
- While the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) has distributed large amounts of money in compensation and assisted residential schoolsurvivors in their recovery, the system is also open to abuse. For instance, some former students who applied for additional compensation under the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) were the victims of unethical p…
Residential Schools in Newfoundland and Labrador
- The benefits of federal compensation packages excluded survivors of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since Canada did not establish or operate residential schools in that province (Newfoundland was not part of Canada when the schools began operating), the federal government argued that it was not responsible for compensating former students. After survivor…
Overview
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA; French: Convention de règlement relative aux pensionnats indiens, CRRPI ) is an agreement between the government of Canada and approximately 86,000 Indigenous peoples in Canada who at some point were enrolled as children in the Canadian Indian residential school system, a system which was in place between 1879 and 1997. The IRSSA recognized the damage inflicted by the residential schools and established a C$1.9 …
Indian residential schools
Indian residential schools were a network of "boarding schools" for Native Canadians (First Nations or "Indians"; Métis and Inuit). These schools operated in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The first school opened in 1828, and the last one closed in 1997. The last school to close was Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet, in what is now Nunavut; it became a IRSSA-recognized school in 201…
History of the IRSSA
In November 1996, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) issued its final 4,000-page report with 440 recommendations. Indian residential schools were the topic of one chapter. In 1998 in response to the RCAP the Canadian federal government unveiled Gathering Strength: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan, a "long-term, broad-based policy approach in response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples which included the "Statement of Reconciliation: Learn…
Components of the IRSSA
The agreement was signed on May 8, 2006, with implementation on September 19, 2007.
The five main components of the IRSSA provided by the federal government were the Common Experience Payment (CEP), Independent Assessment Process (IAP), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Commemoration, and Health and Healing Services.
The IRSSA offered former students blanket compensation through the Common Experience Pay…
Legal representation
Crawford Class Action was the court-appointed administrator. C$100-million was allocated by IRSSA for the payment of plaintiffs’ legal fees.
Controversies
Dan Ish, upon his retirement from his position as chief adjudicator of IAP, described challenges with private lawyers who allegedly illegally profited from IRSSA benefits. They investigated Winnipeg lawyer Howard Tennenhouse, Calgary lawyer David Blott and Vancouver lawyer Stephen Bronstein and numerous other lawyers. Ish "personally reported Tennenhouse to the Law Society of Manitoba, who eventually disbarred the veteran lawyer and repaid clients nearly a million doll…
Citations
1. ^ Marshall, Tabitha (July 11, 2013). "Convention de règlement relative aux pensionnats indiens". The Canadian Encyclopedia (in French). Retrieved June 3, 2021.
2. ^ "Your questions answered about Canada's residential school system". CBC News. June 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
• Truth and Reconciliation Main Website
• Indian Residential School Resolution Canada
• Remembering the Children Tour
• The schools Settlement Agreement 2007 at The Canadian Encyclopedia