Question Period Note: St. Anne’s Request for Independent Review

• Residential Schools were part of a shameful and racist colonial policy that removed Indigenous children from their communities and denied them their families, language and culture.
• To restore confidence, rebuild trust and maintain the integrity of the process, at our request, the court has ordered an independent, third party review of St. Anne’s claims to determine if additional compensation is owing to survivors.
• Justice Ian Pitfield will conduct the independent review and steps are underway for that process to begin.
• Canada will fund additional health support measures for survivors throughout the review.

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Canada’s role in review and Minister meeting (42 words)
• To restore confidence, rebuild trust and maintain the integrity of the process, we have requested - and the court has ordered - an independent, third party review of St. Anne’s claims to determine if additional compensation is owing to survivors.
• We will follow the supervising court’s guidance and work collaboratively to play an appropriate role, including funding additional health support measures for survivors throughout the review.
• I have reached out to the survivors and we are arranging a meeting to discuss how we can support their healing.

If pressed on compensation (67 words)
• Canada deeply regrets its past policies that removed Indigenous children from their communities and denied them their families, language and culture.
• 96% of all claimants from St. Anne’s Residential School have received compensation. Canada is working collaboratively with the Parties to obtain clarity from the Courts on this matter.
• We are committed to reconciliation, healing and justice for former students of St. Anne’s, and all Residential Schools.

If pressed on Metatawabin #2 (89 words)
• The mistreatment of Indigenous children is a tragic and shameful part of Canada’s history.
• Canada has complied with all court orders regarding Independent Assessment Process documents for St. Anne’s.
• The present litigation involving certain St. Anne’s students presents positions which Canada views as inconsistent with the absolute confidentiality the Supreme Court of Canada says is owed to Independent Assessment Process claimants.
• The court has confirmed that its order for an independent review of St. Anne’s claims has no impact on the rights of survivors to pursue different judicial recourses.

If pressed on Document Preservation (85 words)
• In 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that the privacy rights of Independent Assessment Process claimants means their documents are to be destroyed unless they consent to retain them.
• Justice Brown of the British Columbia Supreme Court has ordered that St. Anne’s documents may be retained until such time as the court issues further orders.
• The Court has ordered that the documents be used in the independent review of St. Anne’s claims, and Canada will comply with the court’s direction to provide the documents.