The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is offering its support to survivors of Canada’s Day School system.
The announcement for beneficiaries was posted Oct. 22 on the IRC’s website. The IRC is providing funding so survivors are able to access the Federal Day Schools Class Action (FDSCA) Settlement Agreement, which was approved Aug. 19, 2019 and will be taking applications for compensation until July 13, 2022.
“IRC has been involved in advocating for class members of federal day schools to ensure that survivors can access claims and gain compensation for harm at the levels they are eligible,” reads the release. “There is legal support available for those seeking assistance on completing and filing a Day School Claim.
“There is also help available including legal advice if your claim is downward classified from the original level you had submitted. We encourage beneficiaries to reach out in such cases prior to filing any documents with the Claims Administrator.”
Any beneficiary can speak with the law firm Gowling WLG free of charge to assess the level of their claim. The IRC has also pledged to assist any beneficiary with completing necessary forms. The notice also reminds members that crisis support is available through the Hope for Wellness service, which provides counselling and crisis intervention 24 hours a day and can be reached by phoning 1-855-242-3310.
Compensation begins at $10,000 for individuals who attended any Day School from 1920 onward and additional compensation up to $200,000 is available for individuals who were severely harmed during that time. Families of day school survivors who are unable to conduct their own legal proceedings, or passed away after July 31, 2007, are able to submit a claim on their behalf.
Canada operated 699 Day Schools from the 1860s until the 1990s, including seven in the Beaufort Delta.