A homeless man in Calgary has been waiting nearly a year for his government compensation cheque for the abuse he suffered in a residential school.

Reggie Prairie Chicken, 61, learned in August 2008 he qualifies for a five-figure payment under the federal compensation program for former residential school students.

His lawyer, Tony Merchant, said lengthy delays in paying the compensation is a final insult from Ottawa for people who suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse in residential schools.

Merchant represents more than 2,500 people who have filed a claim for compensation for abuse under the independent assessment process. Of those, 50 have had hearings, and so far, only three have received any money from the process. One of Merchant's clients who was set to get compensation died, and the money went to that person's family instead, he said.

"What it does for First Nations people is it sort of re-victimizes them," he said. "They go through a hearing, it's hard psychologically. It's like tearing a bandage off a psychological wound that has stayed hidden. They talk about their problems. And then, as it is troubling them, and they expect the compensation, they expect to get to closure, and then the money doesn't come."

Man plans to spend cheque on shelter

Prairie Chicken has been homeless in Calgary off and on for more than 30 years. The first thing he plans to do with his money is put a roof over his head, he said.

"I'm hoping things will move faster and get this thing over and I can relax, because it's been hard for me," he said.

Merchant said officials told him that Prairie Chicken will be getting his money in about a week.

"The cheque that we just received was for a person who had gone through their hearing in November. So that's not a sign of much of an improvement," he said.

Under the settlement process, $1.9 billion has been set aside as "common experience" compensation to former students who lived at the government- and church-run schools. People like Prairie Chicken who suffered abuse that caused serious psychological effects can apply for between $5,000 and $275,000 in compensation.

Patricia Valladao, who speaks for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, said cheques to claimants are issued regularly but that there was a backlog last year.

"That has been addressed, and the schedule of processing payments has returned to normal, which would be 30 to 45 days," she said.

More than 11,000 people have submitted claims under the independent assessment process for abuse suffered at residential schools. More than 2,100 claims worth $143 million have been settled, but no figure on actual payouts is available.