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SAMAYA JARDEY Samaya can be reached at our office 604-925-4464. Email inquiries can be made to samayajardey@irsss.ca |
Advocates
Disappointed With Delay in Resolving Residential School Claims—
The much-hyped and eagerly anticipated announcement, by the Government of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations on May 30th, failed to formally recognize the suffering of Survivors across Canada by not delivering a comprehensive compensation package. The Societies call on those who made public statements in recent weeks to issue a public apology for raising Survivors’ expectations, which were dashed with last Monday’s announcement. Having said that, the Societies recognize that the political agreement signed by the Federal Government and the Assembly of First Nations is an important step toward an eventual resolution. In order to speed up the process, the Societies urge the new federal mediator, the Honourable Frank Iacobucci, to consider a process where consultation, delivery design and implementation can occur simultaneously. That way, when he announces his findings, the process will be in place and Survivors will not have to wait further. It is estimated that 1300 Survivors die every year. “If we follow this process through to its logical end, we are looking at one year for consultation, one year for design and one year for implementation,” said Yvonne Still, NRSSS Interim Executive Director. “Survivors don’t have that much time. We are pleased that that there will be opportunity for survivors to provide input. They hope that Mr. Iacobucci will take a collective approach.” “Our agency and others like it should be involved, on an ongoing basis, in the discussion and design of the process,” said Sharon Thira, Executive Director of the IRSSS. “Justice delayed is justice denied. Compensation, to the estate of deceased Survivors, should be paid retroactive to the release of the RCAP report in November 1996. In the meantime, we are warning residential school Survivors about the potential negative impacts of this announcement.” The Societies have developed a strategic response to Monday’s announcement. The Strategy involves information about the announcement, what kinds of reactions survivors and families can expect to have, where to access information and help, ideas about financial planning and potential responses communities can make. “ We want to make sure resources are in place for residential school survivors in the wake of this announcement. Fearing suicides, excessive addictive behaviours, and other kinds of harm for residential school survivors, we are being proactive in order to minimize harm,” said Sharon Thira, IRSSS Executive Director. “We are also putting unscrupulous characters on notice,” added Thira. “If you are a shady lawyer or car salesman or anyone else trying to prey on unsuspecting residential school survivors receiving settlements, we want you to know that we will be watching and alerting people about your activities.” Yvonne Still went on to say, “We have advocated for and support the move to lump sum payments. We have also recommended that such a plan be implemented within the context of a comprehensive support strategy. We are heartened that the politicians seem to agree with us. As part of our strategic response, we will undertake a consultation process to facilitate Mr. Iacobucci’s task.” For the
rest of the press release.....please click on below link Government and Assembly of First Nations Political Agreement, May 30 2005 |
IRSSS Responds to Ottawa's Alternative Dispute Resolution Framework WEST VANCOUVER (November 6, 2003) - The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) welcomes the announcement of the new federal Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework as a step in the compensation process for survivors of the Indian residential school system. It provides an option beyond the civil process for survivors of sexual and severe physical abuse to seek compensation. Ultimately we support the principle that survivors have the right of choice and that as an organization it is our duty to provide them with accurate information to make a choice. "We acknowledge this framework as a response to the backlog of 12,000 lawsuits across Canada as well as to new applicants who may come forward from the more than 100-thousand survivors of the Indian residential school system," says Sharon Thira, IRSSS Associate Director. "We know there will be a volume of interest – we already have had countless inquiries – and we wish to support survivors in making informed decisions about the choices available to them. Already 1200 survivors over the age of 70 have been identified." The IRSSS commits to survivors that it will provide them with the best information it can get about the process, maintains their safety and their journey toward finding closure. "We recognize that this is not a comprehensive response for all survivors of the Indian residential school system as it addresses only physical and sexual abuse," concludes Thira. - 30 -
IRSSS Training Institute Beyond Expectations PRINCE GEORGE (October 24, 2003) - The Indian Residential School Survivors Society's (IRSSS) 2003 Training Institute was a complete success as more than 105 frontline workers graduated in five different workshop sessions. The IRSSS Institute is a first time ever innovative training module that deals exclusively with one subject, Indian residential school effects. The session was in such demand that it was completely sold out two weeks before the event took place at the Civic Centre in Prince George. "I want to tell you...you're my heroes. I know you're unsung most of the time," says Dr. Chief Robert Joseph, Executive Director of the IRSSS. "And whether you know it or not you're messengers of love. When you want wellness and healing and reconciliation and goodness for other people it's really a message about love." The training institute is unique in that it brought aboriginal trainers in contact with aboriginal workers. Many adult children of the Indian residential school system say they want to be dealing with aboriginal counselors who know and understand their experiences. The institute addressed that need by providing extremely affordable training to aboriginal students who normally cannot get university level training because of their remoteness. Many participants say there's a need to have more training opportunities of this scope and availability throughout the province. Here are some of their comments. "I would recommend this course to all caregivers and to all in the helping field: chiefs & councils - leadership." "Keep this process of teaching frontline workers useable skills flowing and come to Terrace or Prince Rupert." "Additional training courses needed to accommodate the waiting list." In British Columbia there were 18 Indian residential schools, second only to Alberta's twenty. Until 1984, aboriginal children between the ages of 7 and 15 were forcibly removed from their parents and in some cases shipped over a thousand kilometers away to attend school. Estimates as high as 50 percent show children died from beatings, TB and other diseases. At the schools psychological and emotional abuses were constant: shaming by public beatings of naked children, vilification of native culture, constant racism, public strip and genital searches, withholding presents and letters from family, locking children in closets and cages, segregation of sexes, separation of bothers and sisters, proscription of native languages and spirituality. Today thousands of aboriginal people who once attended Indian residential schools are still trying to cope with the effects these experiences have had on them. The IRSSS training institute helps counselors and other accredited workers better understand and help those they have chosen to work with. "So I ask you, on behalf of other survivors, to continue to walk with us, to continue to help us through our pain and our anger and our frustration, our addictions and our dysfunctions," says Joseph. "We need you...our communities and our families and the children in our communities need you." The IRSSS training institute was made possible through fund raising efforts of the head office in West Vancouver and by a contribution from the federal government. - 30 -
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