CANADA has announced a US$31.5 billion (RM132 billion) agreement to reform its discriminatory child welfare system and compensate indigenous families who suffered because of it, in what an official called the largest settlement in the country.

The agreements-in-principle include CA$20 billion (RM65 billion) for First Nations children who were removed from their families and caregivers and put into state care, typically schools meant to forcibly assimilate them.

The remaining money will be earmarked for reforming the child and family services system over the next five years.

“No amount of compensation can make up for the trauma that the people have experienced,” said Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu.

“But these Agreements-in-Principle acknowledge the harm and pain caused by the discrimination in funding and services to the survivors and their families.”

The deal, which stems from suits brought by First Nations families against the government, acknowledges that “discriminatory underfunding” of child and family services in indigenous communities has inflicted suffering on those involved.

Despite making up less than 8% of under-14 children, indigenous children account for more than half of those in foster care in the country, according to a census in 2016.

At least 150,000 indigenous children were ripped from their homes and placed into one of 139 residential schools in the last three decades.

Thousands have died, mostly from malnutrition, disease or neglect, in what a truth and reconciliation committee called “cultural genocide” in a report in 2015. Many others were physically or sexually abused.

On the heels of the discovery of more than 1,200 unmarked graves at these schools, Canada is starting to come to terms with the nationwide trauma.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller called the agreement yesterday “the largest settlement in Canadian history” at a videoed news conference.

The amount to be paid to each individual, as well as how and when, will be determined later in consultation with experts and the largest indigenous organisation in the country, the Assembly of First Nations, according to lawyers representing complainants in two class action cases.

“This settlement is historic and hopefully a turning point in the work on reconciliation,” said Robert Kugler, one of the lawyers, in a statement.

The amount, he added, “underscores the severity of the harm suffered, and will provide financial support to enable victims to better their lives going forward”.

The government has previously fought orders to compensate indigenous families over systems it has admitted were discriminatory, including in an appeal seeking to overturn a landmark decision awarding billions to indigenous children filed last year.

Canada said it believes the payments are necessary, but will rather iron out the details in talks.

The agreements-in-principle are expected to be finalised in the coming months. – AFP, January 5, 2022.