A group representing Sixties Scoop survivors are frustrated with what they say is a lack of commitment from the provincial government following the apology from Premier Scott Moe in January.
The Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Saskatchewan produced a report from the sharing circles held province-wide last fall with several recommendations, including the creation of a task force to assist survivors in locating adoption records for compensation claims. This was their report’s first recommendation.
“They told us they were willing and this wasn’t the end and we’re going to continue working with you guys. We felt like we had hope that we were willing and in partnership to do this. We were hoping to continue working with them after the apology, but we didn’t hear anything after,” said Melissa Parkin Co-Chair of the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Saskatchewan.
“I was expecting to hear more about the future of our Sixties Scoop survivors, and advocate for them on behalf of the public awareness, the no records and the recommendations.”
Vince Vandale a resolution health support worker with the Saskatoon Tribal Council who was at the Legislature Wednesday told reporters that he asked the Information and Privacy Commissioner to help locate adoption records for a survivor after she was told by the government that her records no longer existed.
Social Services Minister Paul Merriman after being pressured said that he accepts the group’s report, but when broken down to each recommendation, stated the government preferred to assist in records location on a case-by-case basis rather than establishing a task force.
He says the Ministry was successful in 85 percent of assistance requests in finding documents. Yet he warned there were also privacy concerns which may prevent the release of adoptive parent’s names.
Robert Doucette says the federal government also has a role here in helping track down records, as those documents should exist through Indigenous Affairs/Services Ministry.
The relationship between the Sixties Scoop survivors and the provincial government appeared to have soured since the apology, as the group turned to the NDP to raise questions in the Assembly, with Vandale saying he has tried unsuccessfully numerous times to get in touch with Merriman’s office for follow up meetings, however Merriman has denied this saying the only communication was through a letter he received, but has not responded to.
Prior to Question Period NDP leader Ryan Meili wanted to apologize to Sixties Scoop survivors, saying in the Legislature that previous governments, including New Democrat participated in the taking of thousands of Indigenous children from their homes and placing them with non-native families. “
We are truly sorry. And we ask, of those who have suffered and of the creator who made us all, for forgiveness, for healing, and for change. Forgiveness for the harm done to children, for the pain caused to their parents, and for the damage to communities. Families were not respected, the strength of aunties and uncles, kookums and moshums, was overlooked, and tremendous trauma was inflicted. And some of these wounds, the wounds of children who died, who lost and were lost to their families, who experienced abuse or who simply cannot replace the lost years, some of these wounds will not heal.”
(Photo: Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Saskatchewan Robert Doucette. By Dan Jones)