(Ottawa) An agreement in principle that would see the federal government pay billions of dollars to First Nations people who suffered from poorly funded children’s social services will be announced this week, The Canadian Press has learned.
According to sources, negotiations were concluded at the end of the year. The agreement will end a legal challenge that began 14 years ago.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled five years ago that the underfunding of social services for aboriginal children living on reserves was discriminatory. In 2019, he ordered the government to pay $ 40,000 in compensation to all children, parents and grandparents who are victims of the system.
This case represented a huge blight in the federal government’s efforts to reconcile with Indigenous peoples.
Last fall, the government began negotiating with aboriginal leaders on a deal, even though it appealed the latest court ruling upholding the tribunal’s ruling.
Federal Ministers Patty Hajdu and Marc Miller are expected to provide an update on the agreement on Tuesday with Assembly of First Nations regional chief of Manitoba Cindy Woodhouse.