Residential schools: Canada to pay $2.8 billion in compensation

Canada will provide $2.8 billion in compensation for the collective harm and loss of language, culture and heritage caused by the residential school system.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Mark Miller announced at a press conference in Vancouver on Saturday that the government had signed an agreement with 325 nations involved in the class action lawsuits.

The agreement will be used to compensate survivors and descendants of residential schools.

$2.8 billion will be placed in a nonprofit trust to “support healing, health, education, heritage, language and commemorative activities.”

The permanent board of the organization will have nine directors, all tribal.

Regardless of the government, this new organization will be guided by four pillars developed by representatives of claimants: revival and protection of indigenous languages, revival and protection of indigenous cultures, protection and development of heritage, and well-being. Tribal communities and their members.

The agreement comes after a lawsuit filed by two First Nations in British Columbia.