A Regina lawyer says he’s unsure the release of government documents detailing residential schools will lead to any courtroom victories for survivors.
A judge in Ontario recently ordered Ottawa to turn over millions of documents from Archives Canada to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Tony Merchant says he welcomes the news but explains the documents will only go to the TRC itself and not the lawyers.
“It will be helpful to obtaining justice for others who were not in what are known strictly as residential schools but not directly, only indirectly in relation to what the reports may say or indications of where the documents may be available,” he says.
Merchant adds the government will be forced to organize the records, many of which have simply been sitting in a warehouse for decades.
Once that happens and the government is aware of certain documents, it could be forced to turn them over in legal situations such as independent assessment claims.
Merchant adds the material could potentially affect claims by day-school survivors and Métis.