The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) wants deadlines removed from the federal Indian day school settlement agreement.
As it stands, those applying for the class action must do so by Friday and must have already applied for an extension past the original deadline of July 13, 2022.
Eleanor Sunchild is an Indigenous lawyer helping survivors file settlement claims. She helps them articulate their trauma, put it on paper and file the claim.
“I’m working, like, 16 hours a day, all of my staff is so tired and people just keep calling and phoning and there’s just not enough time to get these claims. These claims are very traumatic, people are talking about abuse that is very severe in nature,” Sunchild said.
“To impose a deadline on an abuse that shouldn’t have a limitation period or shouldn’t have a deadline is unfair.”
Sunchild said there should be no deadlines or the deadline should be extended further, especially because people are coming out of COVID-19.
“People were isolated, where they couldn’t reach out for help, where we couldn’t as lawyers, where we couldn’t go to First Nation communities because of the restrictions,” she said.
In a statement, FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said many have been unable to apply due to limitations like illness or incarceration, and many others are not equipped with the means or know-how to submit the application.
“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,” Cameron said.
“Physical, sexual and emotional abuse is something people may oppress and need time to process when making their applications.”
Cameron wants the $1.5-billion compensation program open for “years to come.”
The agreement includes a minimum of $10,000 in individual compensation for harms associated with attendance at a qualifying day school.
The federal government did not respond to a request for comment in time for deadline.
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 school settlement administrators have stated that about 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis people nationwide have already submitted compensation applications.
“There are thousands who received only a level one payment and should receive a higher level of compensation for abuse, pain, suffering and undo hardships suffered while attending the schools. The program administrators have not done their job,” Cameron said.
FSIN also added in the release that there are First Nations people who are excluded from applying for the Indian day school settlement because of the government’s rejection of 680 schools in the country that did not qualify using the Indian day schools definition. The eligible schools are listed online.
“FSIN believes students who endured the same assimilation policy, practices and loss of culture should be eligible for compensation,” according to the press release.
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