View of Île-à-la-Crosse (File photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By meadowlakeNOW Staff

Île-à-la-Crosse residential school survivors launch class action lawsuit with support from MN-S

Jan 24, 2023 | 11:56 AM

Survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School have filed a lawsuit, seeking recognition, justice and compensation from the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan for the harms students say they suffered while attending the school.

The lawsuit was brought forward by the Île-à-la-Crosse Survivors Committee, supported by the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S).

“I hope, that by bringing forward this lawsuit, that the survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse will finally receive the justice that we deserve and that our truth is heard,” plaintiff and survivor Louis Gardiner wrote in a media release. “We lost our language, our culture, and our identity at the school. We deserve justice and recognition moving forward.”

Last Saturday, Jan. 21, government officials announced a $2.8 billion settlement between the federal government and 325 First Nations. The class action lawsuit was brought forward to seek reparations for the loss of language and culture brought on by Indian residential schools.

The Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School was not included in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement because the school was determined not to qualify.

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A memorandum of understanding was signed with Ottawa in 2019, but the group says discussions weren’t successful.

“For too long, the truth of the residential school experience of Métis children has been ignored by Canadians. Métis survivors have been denied the benefits of Indian Residential School settlements, including both the compensation and apologies that other survivors received,” Michelle LeClair, vice-president of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan said.

“MN-S is proud to support the survivors’ committee in its pursuit of justice and hope that the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada come to the table to negotiate a fair settlement with survivors.”

The school opened in the 1820s and closed in the 1970s. The lawsuit states survivors suffered physical, sexual and psychological abuse from school staff members.

The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of First Nation, non-status, Inuit and Métis people who attended the school for educational purposes at any time.

The lawsuit includes both day students and residential/boarding students. The claims are on behalf of close family members of surviving class members (any spouse, parent, child, grandchild or sibling) and surviving spouses of survivor class members.

No statements of defence have been filed, and the federal and provincial governments did not immediately provide comment.

-With files from the Canadian Press

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