(Ottawa) Even though negotiations are still not complete, the Trudeau government is setting aside $ 40 billion to compensate Indigenous children who were removed from their homes after 2006 and placed in care. a family welfare system chronically underfunded by Ottawa.
This large sum, which will be included in the economic and financial update that the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland will present on Tuesday, should also make it possible to lay the foundations for a reform of children’s services in indigenous communities around the world. from the country.
An extremely rare gesture, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller, confirmed this decision by the Trudeau government at the end of the day Monday, 24 hours before the unveiling of Minister Freeland’s economic update.
After a long legal battle, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered in 2019 the federal government to pay compensation of $ 40,000 to approximately 54,000 children and their families. The federal government appealed this decision, but the Federal Court upheld the orders of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal at the end of September. Negotiations to find an amicable settlement began at the end of October following the Federal Court ruling.
That Ottawa decided to set aside $ 40 billion in the economic update, however, does not mean that a deal has been reached with child welfare advocates and Indigenous communities.
The parties have until the end of December to reach an agreement on the matter. Former Indigenous Senator Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is leading the negotiations.
“Of our duty”
In a written statement, Minister Marc Miller and Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu argued that “it is our collective duty and responsibility to end discrimination against Indigenous peoples. This means that we must right the wrongs of the past and put an end to the discriminatory practices still in force today ”.
They argued that a sum of money, no matter how large, cannot right the wrongs and prejudices suffered by First Nations children over the years.
We have been very clear throughout these historic negotiations: we will compensate those wronged by the discriminatory funding practices of the federal government and we will lay the foundations for a fair and better future for First Nations children, their families and their families. communities.
Extract from the written statement of Ministers Marc Miller and Patty Hajdu
“Historic injustices demand historic reparations. The Economic and Fiscal Update will show that the Government of Canada plans to spend $ 40 billion to provide compensation and commit the necessary funds to implement long-term reform so that future generations of First Nations children Nations will never face the same systemic tragedies, ”added the ministers.
They concluded their statement by expressing the wish to conclude the ongoing negotiations by the end of the year.