Rally in Winnipeg supporting Residential School Survivors' compensation
NEWS RELEASE - MONDAY APRIL 17, 2006
SCO to rally in support of Indian residential school survivors’ compensation package
WINNIPEG, MB - On Wednesday April 19, 2006, at 12:00 PM, the Manitoba Southern Chiefs’ Organization will rally in support of the Indian residential school survivors’ compensation package during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s luncheon speech at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
An Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) to compensate survivors was reached last November between the former Federal Liberal Government and the Assembly of First Nations. Included in this package was a lump-sum payment of $8,000.00 for every residential school survivor, an improved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process and a formal apology issued by the Prime Minister of Canada to survivors.
Since the 2006 Federal General Election, the new Conservative Government has remained silent on whether or not they will honour the November 2005 AIP package.
“We are calling upon Prime Minister Harper to uphold and honour the compensation package for our Indian residential school survivors,” stated Southern Grand Chief Chris Henderson. “As each day passes, our survivors are getting older, and some are passing on, without even seeing the possibility of this Agreement-in-Principle come to fruition. Aside from the financial compensation component, our survivors are also calling for a formal apology from the Prime Minister of Canada. This would begin the road to healing and reconciliation for our elders who were subjected to this gross and unjust social engineering of the worst kind.”
All nations are welcome to attend and participate in this call for justice and action for our Indian residential school survivors.