FSIN DEMANDS THE REMOVAL OF DEADLINES FOR THE INDIAN DAY SCHOOL SETTLEMENT

Jan 12, 2023
2 min read

Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatoon SK – The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) demands the removal of all deadlines associated with the Federal Indian Day School Settlement Agreement. As it currently stands, the federal government’s application deadline is Friday, January 13, 2023.

“We oppose this deadline and continue to demand the compensation program remain open for years to come as there are thousands of survivors who are still coming to terms with their past schooling experience and will miss out, for reasons that are not their fault. Physical, sexual and emotional abuse is something people may oppress and need time to process when making their application,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron.

Those who missed the July deadline were required to file an extension request form by July 13, 2022, to be eligible for the January 13, 2023 deadline.

Chief Cameron says First Nations people battling illness, in treatment or hospital and those who are incarcerated may not have access to the applications. Many others are not equipped with the means or know-how to submit the application.

In 2019, Canada committed $1.47 billion to compensate those who attended one of the 699 Indian Day Schools between 1863 and 2000.

The Indian day schools we often run by religious organizations and employed the same policy of assimilation as Indian Residential Schools. The Indian Day School Settlement administrators have stated that about 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis people nationwide have already submitted applications for compensation.

“There are thousands who received only a level one payment and should receive a higher level of compensation for abuse, pain, suffering and undue hardships suffered while attending the schools. The program administrators have not done their job. The Gowling WLG Law Firm is benefitting off the backs of First Nations people who have already endured tremendous pain and suffering,” said Chief Cameron.

Many day school settlement applicants have told FSIN that the application process is cumbersome due to the lawyers' involvement.

The Indian Day School Settlement provides additional compensation for emotional, physical and sexual abuse through a harm level assessment.

FSIN is aware of several First Nations people who are excluded from applying for the Indian Day School Settlement because of the government's rejection of 680 schools in Canada that did not qualify using the Indian Day Schools definition. FSIN believes students who endured the same assimilation policy, practices and loss of culture should be eligible for compensation.

The current settlement program does not contact former students or have accurate records to account for the number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people that may have attended Indian Day Schools and Residential Schools.