Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Common Experience Payments

Beginnings 2001 – The Canadian government begins negotiations with the Anglican, Catholic, United, and Presbyterian churches to design a compensation plan Oct. – Canadian government agrees to pay 70% of settlement to former students with validated claims

Involvement of Churches Oct – Supreme Court of Canada finds that Canada is not 100% percent responsible for abuse of students at Vancouver Island church-run school. United Church is found to be 24% responsible "As Moderator of The United Church of Canada, I wish to speak the words that many people have wanted to hear for a very long time. On behalf of The United Church of Canada, I apologize for the pain and suffering that our church's involvement in the Indian Residential School system has caused. We are aware of some of the damage that this cruel and ill-conceived system of assimilation has perpetrated on Canada's First Nations peoples. For this we are truly and most humbly sorry…”

The Package September 19, 2007, – Ottawa announces a compensation package for Aboriginal people forced to attend residential schools. $1.9 billion $10,000 for each individual who attended a school + $3,000 for each year attended Approximately 86,000 people were eligible

Criteria: school included in the list of recognized Indian Residential Schools under the Settlement Agreement student resided at a recognized Indian Residential School student did not attend a day school school was operating during requested period applicant alive as of May 30, 2005

Payouts Average payout - $25,000 Potential payouts to those who suffered physical or sexual abuse - $275,000 As of April 15, 2010: $1.56 billion paid out Representing cases Acceptance of the Common Experience Payment releases the government and churches from all further liability relating to the residential school experience, except in cases of sexual abuse and serious incidents of physical abuse.

What will happen in those cases of alleged sexual or serious physical abuse? An Independent Assessment Process, or IAP, was set up to address sexual abuse cases and serious incidents of physical abuse. A former student who accepts the Common Experience Payment can pursue a further claim for sexual or serious physical abuse. September 19, 2011 – deadline to apply for CEP

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