Stirland Lake and Crystal Lake residential schools "under review" as part of CEP settlement
The struggle to include the Crystal Lake and Stirland Lake Residential Schools located north of Pickle Lake, ON as part of the Residential School Settlement continues. Both schools are now listed as "under review" on the official Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada (IRSRC) website. Click here to see the list of additional schools being considered by the government. See NAN's Grand Chief's statements below outlining the Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation's resolution demanding that these two residential schools be included in the settlement package.
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Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada (IRSRC) Update for October 10th, 2007
The list of approved schools on the website at www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca will be updated approximately 60 days after the Implementation date of September 19th, 2007 for any school requests received before to September 19th, 2007. Requests received on or after September 19th, 2007 will be reviewed in the order they are received. You will be contacted once your request has been reviewed.
If you wish to review the list of schools that have already been suggested, you may visit the website at https://fmwa.classactionservices.ca/IRS/phase2/add_suggest.lasso#List. You may request that a school be added to the list by contacting the Administrator at 1-866-879-4913, by submitting your request via the website, or by sending your request by mail to the Administrator at Residential Schools Settlement, Suite 3-505, 133 Weber Street North, Waterloo, ON N2J 3G9.
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From NAN press release (Dec 15, 2006) ....
"We welcome the acknowledgement by superior courts across the country of the many years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that came with the residential school system and the attempt by the federal government to destroy the languages and traditions of Aboriginal people across the country," said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy adding there are two schools in NAN territory that are not recognized in the plan.
Stirland Lake and Crystal Lake residential schools - both north of Pickle Lake - are not included in the settlement plan that includes a "common experience" average payment of $24,000 to surviving former students of residential schools.
"Until the two remaining schools within NAN territory are recognized we can't fully welcome the plan," said Beardy who represents 49 First Nation communities across Ontario.