I Was Abused in a Residential School: Difference between revisions

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{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}From the latter part of the 19th century until late into the 20th century, the Government of Canada and various churches operated ''Residential Schools'' for Aboriginal children throughout Canada. For a large portion of that time, Aboriginal parents were compelled to send their children to these schools, thereby removing the children from their communities and their culture. In addition, many students were subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse while attending a Residential School.
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For years, a person had to sue in court to get compensation for abuse suffered in a Residential School. Then the federal government and various church entities agreed to provide compensation through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement).
 
The Settlement Agreement offered two types of specific compensation:
*'''Common Experience Payment''' (CEP): All former students of Residential Schools who were alive on May 30, 2005 were entitled to a CEP. Former students were entitled to $10,000 for their first school year (or part of a school year) of <span class="noglossary">residence</span>, plus $3,000 for each additional school year (or part of a school year) of <span class="noglossary">residence</span>, regardless of the level of abuse that may have been suffered. The deadline for CEP <span class="noglossary">application</span>s expired on September 19, 2011 but the Settlement Agreement allowed for late applications to be filed until September 19, 2012 in exceptional circumstances. 
*'''Independent Assessment Process''' (IAP): Under the IAP process, a victim of certain types of sexual or very serious physical or psychological abuse at a Residential School could apply for additional compensation based on the severity and frequency of the abuse.
 
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| text      = '''Important Notice:''' The final deadline for late CEP applications was September 19, 2012 and is now passed. <br>
| text      = '''Important Notice:''' The final deadline for late Common Experience Payment (CEP) applications and to apply for the Independent Assessment Process was September 19, 2012 and is now passed. <br>
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From the latter part of the 19th century until late into the 20th century, the Government of Canada and various churches operated ''Residential Schools'' for Aboriginal children throughout Canada. For a large portion of that time, Aboriginal parents were compelled to send their children to these schools, thereby removing the children from their communities and their culture. In addition, many students were subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse while attending a Residential School.
For years, a person had to sue in court to get compensation for abuse suffered in a Residential School. Then the federal government and various church entities agreed to provide compensation through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement).
The Settlement Agreement offered two types of specific compensation:
*'''Common Experience Payment''' (CEP): All former students of Residential Schools who were alive on May 30, 2005 were entitled to a CEP. Former students were entitled to $10,000 for their first school year (or part of a school year) of <span class="noglossary">residence</span>, plus $3,000 for each additional school year (or part of a school year) of <span class="noglossary">residence</span>, regardless of the level of abuse that may have been suffered. The deadline for CEP <span class="noglossary">application</span>s expired on September 19, 2011 but the Settlement Agreement allowed for late applications to be filed until September 19, 2012 in exceptional circumstances. 
*'''Independent Assessment Process''' (IAP): Under the IAP process, a victim of certain types of sexual or very serious physical or psychological abuse at a Residential School could apply for additional compensation based on the severity and frequency of the abuse. The deadline for applying for the IAP process was September 19, 2012. I


== First steps ==
== First steps ==


#Because bringing up the past may be difficult, make sure you have emotional and psychological support. You may wish to <span class="noglossary">contact</span> the [[Indian Residential School Survivors Society]] at 1-800-721-0066. The Society provides counselling services and referrals to other services near you. You may also wish to <span class="noglossary">contact</span> Health Canada's Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program at 1-877-477-0775, or the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.  
#Because bringing up the past may be difficult, make sure you have emotional and psychological support. You may wish to <span class="noglossary">contact</span> the [[Indian Residential School Survivors Society]] at 1-800-721-0066. The Society provides counselling services and referrals to other services near you. You may also wish to <span class="noglossary">contact</span> Health Canada's Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program at 1-877-477-0775, or the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.  
#If you have not already done so, get and complete an <span class="noglossary">application</span> for a Common Experience Payment. The '''deadline''' for CEP <span class="noglossary">application</span>s expired on September 19, 2011 but the Settlement Agreement allows for late <span class="noglossary">application</span>s to be filed until September 19, 2012 in cases of <span class="noglossary">disability</span>, <span class="noglossary">undue hardship</span> and exceptional circumstances. A letter explaining the delay <span class="noglossary">will</span> also be required. You can get a CEP <span class="noglossary">application</span>:
#If you did not opt out of the Settlement Agreement and did not submit an IAP application by the deadlines above, you may wish to contact a lawyer to see if an action can be brought in civil court. The rules, procedures and standards of the IAP process are not applicable in this instance."
#* at any [[Service Canada]] office,
#* by calling the CEP Response Centre at 1-866-565-4526, or
#* from [[Indian Residential Schools of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada | Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada]] (AANDC); see the [[Resource List for Legal Help for British Columbians|Resource List]] for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> and website information for AANDC, including an online <span class="noglossary">application</span> form. 
#If you personally suffered physical, sexual or psychological abuse at a Residential School, get and complete an <span class="noglossary">application</span> for the Independent Assessment Process. You can get an IAP <span class="noglossary">application</span> and Guide:
#* from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada; see the Resource List for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> and website information, including an online <span class="noglossary">application</span> form, or
#* by calling the IAP Adjudication Secretariat toll-free Info Line at 1-866-879-4913. 
#If you did not opt out of the Settlement Agreement and did not submit an IAP application by the deadlines above, you may wish to contact a lawyer to see if an action can be brought in civil court. The rules, procedures and standards of the IAP are not applicable in this instance."
 
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| tips = All of the parties to the Settlement Agreement recommended that IAP claimants have a lawyer assist them through the process. Most IAP lawyers do not charge for their services unless their client is successful with their claim. The federal government contributes towards the payment of legal fees, and all legal fees are capped and subject to review by the adjudicator to make sure they are fair and reasonable. If you choose not to be represented by a lawyer, it is a good idea to get a friend, counsellor or advocate to assist you with completing the IAP <span class="noglossary">application</span>. They cannot, however, "represent" you at a hearing.
}}


== What happens next ==
== What happens next ==

Revision as of 19:39, 13 April 2013

From the latter part of the 19th century until late into the 20th century, the Government of Canada and various churches operated Residential Schools for Aboriginal children throughout Canada. For a large portion of that time, Aboriginal parents were compelled to send their children to these schools, thereby removing the children from their communities and their culture. In addition, many students were subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse while attending a Residential School.

For years, a person had to sue in court to get compensation for abuse suffered in a Residential School. Then the federal government and various church entities agreed to provide compensation through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement).

The Settlement Agreement offered two types of specific compensation:

  • Common Experience Payment (CEP): All former students of Residential Schools who were alive on May 30, 2005 were entitled to a CEP. Former students were entitled to $10,000 for their first school year (or part of a school year) of residence, plus $3,000 for each additional school year (or part of a school year) of residence, regardless of the level of abuse that may have been suffered. The deadline for CEP applications expired on September 19, 2011 but the Settlement Agreement allowed for late applications to be filed until September 19, 2012 in exceptional circumstances.
  • Independent Assessment Process (IAP): Under the IAP process, a victim of certain types of sexual or very serious physical or psychological abuse at a Residential School could apply for additional compensation based on the severity and frequency of the abuse. The deadline for applying for the IAP process was September 19, 2012. I

First steps[edit]

  1. Because bringing up the past may be difficult, make sure you have emotional and psychological support. You may wish to contact the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066. The Society provides counselling services and referrals to other services near you. You may also wish to contact Health Canada's Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program at 1-877-477-0775, or the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.
  2. If you did not opt out of the Settlement Agreement and did not submit an IAP application by the deadlines above, you may wish to contact a lawyer to see if an action can be brought in civil court. The rules, procedures and standards of the IAP process are not applicable in this instance."

What happens next[edit]

Common Experience Payment[edit]

After receiving your CEP application, the federal government will verify the years that you attended Residential School and process a payment. If they have any questions, they will contact you. There is currently a backlog of applications, so the payment may not come for several months.

If your CEP application is denied in full or in part, you may submit a request for reconsideration to the federal government. If you are not satisfied with the result of the reconsideration process, you can request an appeal to the National Administration Committee. Any requests for reconsideration or appeal should be filed promptly. To inquire about the reconsideration and appeal processes, you can call the CEP Response Centre toll-free at 1-866-565-4526.

Independent Assessment Process[edit]

Decisions about IAP compensation are made by independent adjudicators. Once your IAP application is accepted into the process, the Secretariat communicates with you or your lawyer about all the steps required before a hearing is scheduled. Claimants have to gather and submit various documents which may help demonstrate how the abuse they suffered affected them. The federal government will provide information and documents about the claimant, the alleged perpetrator, and the Residential School.

A private hearing (meeting) is then held where the adjudicator speaks respectfully with the claimant about their experiences. In some cases, the adjudicator will send the claimant for a medical or psychological assessment to help with the decision-making process. Claimants are not "on trial" and are not cross-examined by lawyers for the federal government, the churches or the alleged perpetrator.

Where to get help[edit]

See the Resource List for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:

Before meeting with a lawyer or advocate, complete the form Preparing for Your Interview included in this Guide. Make sure you bring copies of all documents relating to your case.

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Pierre Bisbicis, February 2013.


Legal Help for British Columbians © Cliff Thorstenson and Courthouse Libraries BC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.