Survivors Discuss Limitations Of IAP, TRC
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 16:10
Over 200 people turned out for an information session for residential school survivors in Prince Albert yesterday.
At issue were questions surrounding the government compensation process, as well as the overall progress of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Rainbow Miller is a lawyer from Quebec who fielded multiple questions about the Independent Assessment Process.
Many at the session wanted to know why their claims of abuse weren’t covered under the process.
Miller says under the terms of the settlement with the government most of the abuse was already covered through the Common Experience Payment.
She says lots of people say they were slapped on the hands while they were in residential schools, and while she says that constitutes abuse, it does not qualify under the IAP.
Miller adds the deadline for applications for CEP will run out on September 19th, 2011, while IAP applications can be submitted until 2012.
Today’s session of the gathering saw an address by the National Residential School Survivors Society.
Ted Quewezance implored survivors to help reconcile themselves through sharing and fellowship.
Quewezance finds it ironic First Nations are frequently asked by the current government to make numerous reports to account for spending.
However, he says so far survivors have not gotten a report about how much implementation of the agreement is going to cost.
Quewezance also believes the Truth and Reconciliation process is flawed because survivors are not being allowed to tell the whole truth about what happened — including not being allowed to name perpetrators.
Quewezance says this presents a dilemma for any survivor who’s forced to swear on the Bible or use a pipe.
He doesn’t know how anyone is supposed to speak half-truths when those items are present.