Post by blackcrowheart on May 16, 2006 14:02:41 GMT -5
Canada agrees native abuse deal
BBC News
[National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Phil Fontaine]
First Nations chief Phil Fontaine has backed a deal
Canada has approved a C$1.9bn ($1.7bn; £925m) deal to compensate
ex-pupils of indigenous schools, physically and sexually abused from the
1930s-1970s.
The schools attempted to erase the students' native culture.
The lump sum payment is designed to release the Canadian government and
the churches that ran the schools from future liability.
About 78,000 people are eligible for compensation. The payments still
have to be approved by provincial courts.
Addressing the Canadian parliament in Ottawa, the Indian Affairs
Minister Jim Prentice said that the government recognises the sad legacy
of the schools.
He said he hoped that the announcement would bring closure to former
students and their descendants.
Bankruptcy fear
For more than 40 years, in what is widely agreed to be one of the most
shameful chapters of Canada's history, indigenous children were forcibly
placed in the schools jointly run by the Canadian government and the
Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Churches.
They tried to indoctrinate the children in Christianity and erase their
native culture.
But it was not until the 1980s that the huge scale of sexual and
physical abuse was fully revealed.
The deal was outlined by the previous Liberal government in an effort to
limit the government and the churches' liability.
The Anglican Church of Canada, for instance, said it faced almost
certain bankruptcy from a number of class-action suits against it.
The announcement had been delayed by the Canadian election in January
which was won by the Conservatives.
Former students, many now elderly, had been anxiously waiting to see
whether the new government would adopt the package.
The deal is optional, although most of the victims are expected to
accept it.
For those who say they suffered particularly serious abuse, the
government has proposed another settlement process.
BBC News
[National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Phil Fontaine]
First Nations chief Phil Fontaine has backed a deal
Canada has approved a C$1.9bn ($1.7bn; £925m) deal to compensate
ex-pupils of indigenous schools, physically and sexually abused from the
1930s-1970s.
The schools attempted to erase the students' native culture.
The lump sum payment is designed to release the Canadian government and
the churches that ran the schools from future liability.
About 78,000 people are eligible for compensation. The payments still
have to be approved by provincial courts.
Addressing the Canadian parliament in Ottawa, the Indian Affairs
Minister Jim Prentice said that the government recognises the sad legacy
of the schools.
He said he hoped that the announcement would bring closure to former
students and their descendants.
Bankruptcy fear
For more than 40 years, in what is widely agreed to be one of the most
shameful chapters of Canada's history, indigenous children were forcibly
placed in the schools jointly run by the Canadian government and the
Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Churches.
They tried to indoctrinate the children in Christianity and erase their
native culture.
But it was not until the 1980s that the huge scale of sexual and
physical abuse was fully revealed.
The deal was outlined by the previous Liberal government in an effort to
limit the government and the churches' liability.
The Anglican Church of Canada, for instance, said it faced almost
certain bankruptcy from a number of class-action suits against it.
The announcement had been delayed by the Canadian election in January
which was won by the Conservatives.
Former students, many now elderly, had been anxiously waiting to see
whether the new government would adopt the package.
The deal is optional, although most of the victims are expected to
accept it.
For those who say they suffered particularly serious abuse, the
government has proposed another settlement process.