The Indian Day School Settlement Agreement: A Historic Move Towards Justice

The Indian Day School Settlement Agreement is a historic move towards justice for Indigenous communities in Canada. It is the result of a decades-long battle to recognize the impact of the Indian Day School system, which operated from the 1860s until the 1990s.

The Indian Day School system was designed to assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream Canadian society. Children were forcibly removed from their families and communities and sent to residential schools where they were forbidden from speaking their own language or practicing their cultural traditions. The Indian Day School system was a slightly different approach, where children were allowed to go home at the end of the day, but were still subjected to the same abusive practices.

For years, survivors of the Indian Day School system and their families have been seeking compensation and recognition for the harm they suffered. The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, which provided compensation to survivors of the residential school system, did not include those who attended Indian Day Schools.

The Indian Day School Settlement Agreement, reached in March 2019, finally acknowledges the harm caused by the Indian Day School system and provides compensation to survivors. The agreement provides individual compensation payments of up to $200,000 to survivors and provides $200 million in funding for healing and commemoration projects.

The settlement agreement is a significant step towards reconciliation and healing for Indigenous communities in Canada. It acknowledges the harm caused by the Indian Day School system and provides much-needed support to survivors and their families. It is also a reminder that the legacy of residential schools and Indigenous assimilation policies is still being felt today.

As a society, we must continue to work towards reconciliation and recognize the ongoing impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples. The Indian Day School Settlement Agreement is a critical step forward in this journey towards justice and healing.