The residential school settlement agreement is a significant milestone in Canada`s history. It is a legal agreement reached between the Canadian government, Indigenous peoples, and various churches involved in running residential schools. This agreement aims to compensate residential school survivors for the harm they suffered while attending these schools and to provide a path for healing and reconciliation.
The settlement agreement resulted in the creation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). The IRSSA is a comprehensive agreement that includes several different components, each designed to address a particular aspect of the residential school experience.
One of the most significant components of the IRSSA is the Common Experience Payment (CEP) program. This program provides a one-time payment to residential school survivors who attended residential schools before 1996. The amount of the payment depends on the length of time the survivor spent in the residential school system, with maximum payments of $10,000.
Another component of the IRSSA is the Independent Assessment Process (IAP). The IAP is a process that allows residential school survivors to make claims for specific harms suffered while attending residential schools. These claims are assessed by an independent adjudicator, who determines the appropriate compensation amount for each claim.
The IRSSA also established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC was charged with documenting and recording the experiences of residential school survivors and their families. The commission`s work culminated in the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission`s final report in 2015, which included 94 recommendations aimed at addressing the legacy of residential schools in Canada.
Overall, the residential school settlement agreement resulted in a significant step forward in addressing the harms caused by the residential school system. While the settlement agreement cannot undo the harm that was done, it provides a path towards healing and reconciliation for residential school survivors and their families. By acknowledging the trauma and injustices of the residential school system, the settlement agreement represents an important step towards a more equitable and just society for all Canadians.
