CANADA
APTN National News
Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
Ottawa is exploring ways to review how it has handled its side of the multi-billion dollar Indian residential school settlement agreement which would include a look at how federal lawyers operated during private hearings to determine compensation for survivors.
The federal Indigenous Affairs department said officials were asked by Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett last week to determine the best way for Ottawa to review its obligations set out in the settlement agreement, which created a survivor compensation mechanism called the Independent Assessment Process (IAP).
“(Department) officials were asked to explore options for conducting a final assessment of Canada’s obligations under the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement prior to its conclusion,” said a statement from the department.
The IAP process has come under increasing scrutiny following a steady drip of revelations on some of the tactics Ottawa lawyers employed to limit the compensation sought by survivors.
Court records show federal lawyers have suppressed documents and used technical and legalistic arguments to defeat claims filed by survivors during the IAP process.
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