Majority of residential school claims processed, federal official says
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 | 9:19 AM CT
CBC News
The federal government has processed more than 90 per cent of compensation claims from aboriginal people who attended residential schools, a senior official says.
In the last six months, Ottawa has processed about 75,000 individual claims and paid out $1.3 billion in lump-sum compensation, also known as common experience payments, Peter Harrison, a senior associate deputy minister with the federal Indian and Northern Affairs Department, said Tuesday.
Speaking at a national Inuit education summit in Inuvik, N.W.T., Harrison said the government is preparing to hear appeals from people who want additional compensation.
"The independent assessment process is now being set up," he told delegates.
"This is where individuals will go through an adjudication in terms of the harm that they had, in terms of physical and sexual abuse."
Truth commission to be appointed soon
Ottawa has $1.9 billion set aside for the common experience payment, which is part of Ottawa's settlement agreement to aboriginal people who attended 130 Canadian residential schools in the 20th century.
The payment gives former students $10,000 for their first year of school attendance and $3,000 for every subsequent year.
Acceptance of the agreement releases the government of further liability relating to the residential school experience, except in cases of sexual abuse and serious incidents of physical abuse.
Harrison said Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl will take the next step in fulfilling the settlement agreement "very soon" by appointing a truth and reconcilation commission.
The commission will compile a history of the residential school experience with anecdotes from former students across the country.
The national Inuit education summit, which runs through Thursday in Inuvik, was organized by Inuit Tapariit Kanatami (ITK), Canada's Inuit organization.
Educators focus on high Inuit dropout rates
Educators from across Canada and as far away as New Zealand are discussing realistic and workable ways to improve education for Inuit, who struggle with high dropout rates.
Less than 25 per cent of Inuit who start school stay long enough to graduate, delegates heard, with one major factor being the legacy of residential schools alienating people's culture and language.
"We must regain the trust of parents who, because of the residential school experience, turned their back on the education system for their children," ITK president Mary Simon said at the summit.
Despite low graduation rates, Simon said the education system for Inuit has had success with programs that focus on Inuit language, culture and curriculum.
Gov. Gen. Michäelle Jean, who gave the summit's keynote address as part of her five-day tour of Inuvik, spoke of the importance of empowering young people to bridge the traditional with the modern.
"For the future of the Arctic — and really, I would say, the future of Canada — depends on our ability to establish the necessary conditions for all students to flourish," Jean said.
