Media.Knet.Ca

NAAF press release ...

Achievement Foundation’s Aboriginal Youth Career Fair Scheduled for October in Montreal

TORONTO--(Marketwire - Aug. 27, 2007) - A high energy and engaging one-day career fair for Aboriginal high school students is being brought to the Palais des Congres in Montreal on October 30, 2007, by the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.

Roberta Jamieson, the Foundation's president and CEO, notes the career fairs are designed to encourage and promote education and training for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit students.

"Our youth are Canada's fastest-growing demographic group at a time when Canada is facing severe labour shortages. The Foundation's career fairs are powerful motivators and information providers of the many career and educational possibilities available to them so they can realize their potential."

David Gill, of the Mashteuiiatsh First Nation at Lac St-Jean, 2006 Commonwealth Games competitor and Olympic hopeful will co-host the career fair, presenting a role model of achievement and realization of potential..

"First Nation youth have incredible potential. The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation is a spring-board. I want to help bring this potential out through my association with the Foundation and want to show the world what we are capable of," Gill says.

One of the events will feature Gemini-nominated television producer and noted actress Jennifer Podemski, seen most recently on Moose TV. The talented and captivating rap performer, Samien, an Anishinabe rap singer from Pikogan First Nation at Abitibi, joined by CerAmony, a Cree, progressive rock group from the James Bay area, will perform during the lunch session and closing ceremonies.

The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation is a registered charity that encourages and empowers young First Nation, Métis, and Inuit people to advance their educational and career aspirations. It is the biggest non-governmental provider of scholarships to First Nation, Metis and Inuit youth, disbursing more than $2.8-million annually to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students across the country. In addition, the Foundation recognizes and celebrates Aboriginal career accomplishment through the annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, a dazzling showcase of entertainment that is broadcast nationally on Global and APTN.

The career fairs are part of the Foundation's "Blueprint for the Future" program now in its 11th year. The fairs have encouraged more than 28,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis youth to further their education and career plans. They present information on a wide range of fields in an interactive and exciting forum where youth (age 13 to 18) have a chance to meet and speak with Aboriginal and other business leaders from across the country. The youth also visit a trade fair area with public sector and private sector based organizations providing information on the organizations themselves, engage students, and discuss available careers, programs, internships and scholarships. The day concludes with a Town Hall session where students can ask questions of leaders and youth achievers taking part in the day-long fair.

/For further information: Scott Cavan, Dir. Communications
416.926.0775 ext: 237
416.903.4331 cell/

ABORIGINAL TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
FINAL REPORT

August 2007

Prepared by the Chiefs of Ontario
for
Environment Canada

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As provincial legislation pertaining to water is being proposed and federal strategies are being implemented, First Nations are voicing concern about not only their lack of input in these initiatives, but also the virtual absence of any cultural reference therein. The Chiefs of Ontario, in collaboration with Environment Canada, embarked on a project to capture some of the First Nations’ traditional views on taking care of water, and how this knowledge can fit with current government source water protection plans. This report is an informative compilation of the Elders’ and Traditional Knowledge Holders’ views of the appropriate role of Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge in Source Water Protection. In addition, this report contains some of the concerns and questions regarding the implementation of Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge in Source Water Protection regimes in Ontario raised by policy makers and people responsible for water stewardship. Finally, the report contains some suggestion on the ways in which the challenges of integrating ATK in Source Water Protection can be addressed.

Purpose

First Nations communities have identified the need to include Aboriginal traditional knowledge (ATK) in source water protection planning and environmental planning. Environment Canada and First Nations in Ontario are interested in understanding better the role that ATK will play in Source Water Protection (SWP) in the province at the community and watershed level.

In 2001, the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) commissioned a report, Water Quality in the Province of Ontario: An Aboriginal Knowledge Perspective, which provided an overview of “what water means to Aboriginal people in Ontario” (McGregor and Whitaker, 2001). It presented the traditional perspectives of a small group of selected Elders and Aboriginal knowledge holders from various Aboriginal cultural groups. This report was incorporated into COO’s submission to the Walkerton Inquiry (Kamanga, 2001). The submission overall emphasized that including ATK in Ontario’s decision making on source water protection is imperative.

Click here to download the entire report (PDF - 142Kb)

Ontario Parks press release ...

Ontario releases plan for Woodland Caribou Signature Site

The Ontario government is releasing the final management plan for the Woodland Caribou Signature Site in northwestern Ontario, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay said today.

“The plan protects the site’s unique features, including rare woodland caribou, while allowing for appropriate recreational uses as part of the economic strategy for the area,” Ramsay said.

The final management plan provides a vision and directions for the Woodland Caribou Signature Site area. Located in the Canadian Shield, north of Kenora, west of Red Lake and Ear Falls and south of Pikangikum, the site covers 537,000 hectares of boreal forest. It comprises the Eagle-Snowshoe Conservation Reserve and Woodland Caribou Forest Reserve, the Pipestone Bay-McIntosh Enhanced Management Area and Woodland Caribou Provincial Park and its recommended additions.

The plan was developed over five years with input and advice from an advisory committee, a First Nations Working Group, regional and municipal representatives and the public. The plan protects the area and enhances the management of the ecological and economic health of the signature site area and its communities, now and for future generations.

The site has many outstanding cultural, recreational, and environmental features, including prehistoric artifacts and pictographs. With over 2,000 kilometres of canoe routes, an excellent sports fishery and many rare species of plants and animals, it is a popular destination for backcountry camping, wildlife viewing and remote tourism at high-quality operations. Other existing uses include trapping, rice harvesting and Aboriginal subsistence harvesting.

The Municipality of Red Lake was a significant contributor from the early stages of the planning process. “As a member of the advisory committee, I was pleased to have been involved in such an important initiative,” said Mayor Phil Vinet. “The municipality and surrounding region can now begin realizing the benefits of living next to this world-class adventure destination.”

The plan supports the development of an inter-provincial wilderness area with the Province of Manitoba. It also supports the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site initiative, a joint effort of the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and four First Nation partners to have 42,000 square kilometres of land in eastern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site.

The final plans are available on the Environmental Registry at http://ontario.ca/environmentalregistry, Registry Number PB02E6023. Copies are also available at ministry district offices in Kenora and Red Lake, at the Woodland Caribou Provincial Park office, or at www.OntarioParks.com.

From CBC News online ...

Gaps in records could cause problems under residential schools deal
August 29, 2007

Former students of Indian residential schools hoping to get a compensation cheque may not receive as much money as they expect because records proving they attended the schools may not exist.

Ray Mason, co-chair of Spirit Wind, a support group for former students in Peguis, Man., says he attended residential school for 12 years, but the federal government has records for only two.

As other students file claims, Mason worries they too will find their records incomplete.

While he plans to fight for compensation for his full 12 years of attendance, he is concerned that elderly residential school survivors will simply take whatever is offered.

"Say if somebody went to school for seven years and the government can only find three or four years of you there, they would get tired of waiting and a lot of the elders will say, 'Well, just give me my money that's owing to me and let's get it over with,'" he told CBC News.

"So that's why I get a little nervous."

The difference between two years at a residential school and a dozen translates into tens of thousands of dollars under the agreement, which applies to about 80,000 native people.

The "common experience payment" section of the agreement sees aboriginal people who lived in residential schools receiving $10,000 for their first year of attendance in the schools and $3,000 for every subsequent year.

Ottawa trying to fill in blanks
CBC News has obtained documents, some going back to the 1940s, showing governments ordered files destroyed because of a paper shortage, and years later because of a lack of storage space.

"At the time, many of the Indian residential school attendance records were seen as invoices, so the significance of the documents historically was not recognized until more recently," says David Russell, director of national research and analysis for Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada.

Russell says his department is working hard to fill in the gaps in records.

"We're looking at provincial and territorial archives, as well as existing ministries of education, churches, community archives, certain band offices that took over administration of the buildings in the 1970s," he said.

"We're looking at every available source."

Former residential school students can begin filing their applications for compensation under the program on Sept. 20.

Open invitation to everyone. 

Come and visit in our community, join our celebration for "our children, our youth and our way".  The youth committee and First Nation Council presents Adam Beach and "Elvis" Daylin James.  The theme is "live and follow your dreams" a celebration for first nation youth as they will become leaders of tomorrow.

Friday, August 31, 2007

Evening

Meet & Greet - Daylin James and Adam Beach

Opening Presentations

Fireworks Display (London Fireworks)

Live in concert with Elvis (impersonator) Daylin James

Saturday, September 1, 2007

5:00pm

Activities (2 hours)

Presentations

Square Dancing featuring Live Musicians from Webequie First Nation

Closing Remarks.

• There will be a BBQ stand & Canteen for refreshment sales. 
• Autograph sessions
• Jig Dance Contests, musical chairs, comedian dance.

Location:  Missabay School Grounds - Sandy Road

Local Transportation will be provided.

For more information please contact Destani Skunk at 928-2881 or Kendra Roundhead at 928-2820

Ontario government press release ...

PREMIER THANKS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOR SERVICE TO ONTARIO - New Writing Awards Honour James K. Bartleman’s Commitment To Literacy

TORONTO, August 23, 2007 — Premier Dalton McGuinty today thanked outgoing Lieutenant Governor, the Hon. James K. Bartleman, for his service to Ontario and announced new writing awards for Aboriginal youth created in his honour.

"His Honour made a real difference in the lives of many Aboriginal young people in Ontario with his unwavering commitment to promoting literacy," said Premier McGuinty. "We want to honour his work by helping more Aboriginal youth reach their full potential and achieve their dreams."

The James Bartleman Awards for Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing will recognize excellence in short story and poetry writing. Four awards, worth $2,500 each, will be handed out annually to Aboriginal youth up to 18 years old.

During his four-year term, the Lieutenant Governor launched two book drives, collecting over a million books for Aboriginal youth. His Honour also established summer literacy camps and reading clubs for Aboriginal youth and launched a Twinning Program for Native and non-Native schools in Ontario and Nunavut.

"On behalf of all Ontarians, I want to thank His Honour for his leadership and his dedication to helping others," said Premier McGuinty. "Ontario is an even better place to live thanks to his efforts."

++++++++

From the Toronto Star ...

Aboriginal writers offered $2,500 awards
Louise Brown, Education Reporter - Aug 24, 2007

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has created four $2,500 awards for young aboriginal writers to honour outgoing Lieutenant-Governor James Bartleman.

To be presented each year to promising aboriginal poets and short story writers up to 18 years old, the new James Bartleman Awards for Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing are a bid to "help more aboriginal youth reach their full potential and achieve their dreams," said McGuinty in unveiling the scholarships at a farewell reception Bartleman, Canada's first aboriginal representative of the Queen.

He will be succeeded in September by Toronto broadcaster David Onley.

During his five-year term, Bartleman - whose mother is Ojibwa - ran two book drives that collected more than 1 million used books for children in remote northern reserves where school library shelves had stood empty for lack of funds. As well, he has created a long-distance book club that sends four new books a year to each of 5,000 northern aborginal children, where many homes have few reading materials.

Bartleman, who has written four books himself, made literacy a cornerstone of his tenure as lieutenant-governor.

From the Toronto Star ...

Backpedalling on native rights
Carol Goar - Aug 22, 2007

Canada is one of seven countries blocking the quest for a universal declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. The other holdouts are Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.

Most members of the United Nations would like to see the charter, which has been under discussion for 20 years, adopted by the General Assembly at its fall session.

Sixty-seven states are co-sponsoring it. The UN Human Rights Council approved it last summer (over Canada's objections). Former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy calls it a test of "Canada's influence as a credible and influential voice for the protection of human rights."

As the vote approaches, native and human rights groups are appealing to Ottawa not to thwart the declaration. They've sent an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging him to uphold the rights of the world's most marginalized and vulnerable people.

"Canada must abandon its campaign against the declaration before further harm is done to the safety and well-being of indigenous peoples worldwide and to Canada's reputation as a principled defender of human rights," the signatories say. They include Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Beverly Jacobs, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada; Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada; Ed Bianchi, aboriginal rights co-ordinator for a church consortium called KAIROS and a number of regional chiefs.

The government's position is that the declaration is too vague to be effective.

It also maintains that some of its provisions could be interpreted in ways that are inconsistent with Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs cites six specific concerns:

• The declaration might be used to support aboriginal claims to territories already ceded by treaty.
   
• It might interfere with Canada's approach to settling land claims, which balances the rights of aboriginal peoples against the interests of other Canadians.
   
• It might be interpreted to give aboriginal peoples a veto over defence activities.
   
• It confers on indigenous people a right to conserve and protect the environment, which is not recognized in international law.
   
• It provides no guidance about the financing of aboriginal self-government.
   
• And it fails to state clearly that federal and provincial laws are paramount on matters of overriding national importance.

This is nonsense, Axworthy says. International human rights declarations have never been legally binding. Moreover, this one has an explicit clause – included at Canada's insistence – stating that it must be interpreted in accordance with existing domestic laws.

Until recently, Canada was one of the leaders in rallying support for the declaration.

In the early years of the negotiations, some states wanted nothing to do with it, fearing it would give indigenous peoples rights and powers that would undermine their authority and drain their budgets.

Canada worked tirelessly to bring these countries on board, explaining and defending the concept of aboriginal self-determination. Craig Benjamin of Amnesty International sat in on some of those talks. "Canada was instrumental in breaking the deadlock between state governments and indigenous peoples. We acknowledged the right to self-government. We said we don't find it threatening."

Shortly after Prime Minister Stephen Harper was elected, Canada's stance changed.

It voted against the declaration – with Russia – at the UN Human Rights Council on June 29, 2006. It is now lobbying other countries to join its call for a re-negotiation of all the substantive provisions of the document. So far, it has found six allies. Several African countries are wavering.

"We have grave concerns that Canada is encouraging states with appalling records on human rights to take positions against the recognition and protection of indigenous people's human rights," the petitioners say in their public letter to Harper.

There is still time for Canada to change course.

For more than a century, we have failed our original citizens abysmally. We have ignored their needs and stunted their development.

The least we can do now is offer them the tools to do better.

Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre is proud to  present Sagatay Band live in concert at the Legion Hall in Sioux Lookout. 

The concert will be held August 29 8PM- 12AM

Admission $2

For further information contact

Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre

737-7373

From the Ontario Government press release ...

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is receiving more than $700,000 over three years to provide services to male victims in northern Aboriginal communities who have suffered sexual abuse from the provincial Victims Services program (see below) ...

McGuinty Government Expands Services To Help Children Overcome Trauma Child Victim/Witness Centre Program Helps Children Through Court Process

    OTTAWA, Aug. 21 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is expanding the province's innovative Child Victim/Witness Centre program, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

    "The expansion of this program to all regions of the province will provide effective support services and court preparation for children, including many who have been abused or exposed to domestic violence," said Bryant.

    The government currently funds Child Victim/Witness Centres in London and Toronto. The expansion, which includes an investment of $1 million, will allow for a new centre in Ottawa and fund two existing centres in the Regions of Peel and Waterloo.

    The new centre in Ottawa, to be operated by Catholic Family Service Ottawa, will provide the following services free of charge:

• Educating children on court proceedings and the role of witnesses
• Providing updates to children and parents or guardians on the progress of cases
• Assisting with the preparation of victim impact statements
• Offering support and assistance through each stage of the court process, including accompanying children into the courtroom
• Explaining the verdict.

    Children will be referred to the centre by community partners such as police, Crown prosecutors and Victim/Witness Assistance Program staff.

    The McGuinty government's $1 million investment will:

• Establish the new Ottawa facility
• Provide provincial funding to two existing centres - the Child Witness Centre of Waterloo Region and the Peel Children's Centre
• Add three new centres in the central, northwestern and northeastern regions of Ontario, bringing the total number of provincially funded centres to eight. Specific sites for these regions have not been chosen, and proposals will be accepted in the fall.

    The Child Victim/Witness Centre program complements the work of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, which provides information, assistance, referrals and support to victims and witnesses of crime, throughout the criminal court process, in all 54 court districts across the province.

    The service expansion responds to the release of the "Best Practices in Child Victim/Witness Programs" report. The government commissioned this report to provide information on the effectiveness of the province's Child Victim/Witness programs. The executive summary of the report is available on the ministry website at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca. To obtain a copy of the report, please call 416-326-2220 or 1-800-518-7901 toll free.

    "Child witness support provides substantial benefits to children involved in the justice system," said Franca DiDiomete, Catholic Family Service Ottawa. "We are proud to deliver these services that will benefit many children who are victims of violence or witnesses of violence."

    "The Ottawa Community Committee on Child Abuse led the long effort to establish a child victim/witness program in Ottawa, and we are delighted that these much-needed services to children will soon be available in our community," said Ron Ensom, former Co-chair, Ottawa Community Committee on Child Abuse.

    Backgrounder

    -------------------------------------------------------------VICTIM SERVICES IN ONTARIO

    The Government of Ontario is committed to ensuring victims of crime have a strong voice. A broad range of victim services is currently provided through provincially funded programs. Government and community-based services support victims in the immediate aftermath of crime, throughout the criminal justice process and as they work to rebuild their lives.

    In addition to $1 million in new annual funding to support and develop Child Victim/Witness Centres announced on August 21, 2007, other provincially-funded programs that help victims of crime include the following:

    Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services

    This community response program provides immediate on-site service to victims of crime, 24 hours a day, seven days-a-week. It currently operates in 48 communities across Ontario and served more than 48,000 victims provincewide last year. The government is increasing the program's annual budget by 20 per cent, to $9.4 million. The full funding increase will be in effect in 2008-09.

    Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres

    The province invests $13 million per year in Ontario's 38 Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Centres, which offer a wide variety of counselling, information and support services to victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

    Victim Quick Response Program

    A $6 million investment in three new immediate services for victims of violent crime was announced on July 13, 2007. The services became available locally in over 50 communities across Ontario on July 16. The three services are:

• Emergency Expenses - for eligible victims, to secure premises for victim safety, provide crime scene clean-up and cover transportation and dependant care costs for a family member to identify a homicide victim or support a seriously injured victim of violent crime
• Funeral Expenses - to assist eligible families of homicide victims
• Counselling - to provide short-term, early intervention counselling to help victims of serious crimes recover from their experience.

    Community Grants Program

    This program has provided more than $15 million over the past three years, including $6 million in 2007-08, for 107 locally based, innovative projects, that enhance services for victims of crime across Ontario.

    Domestic Violence Court Program

    This $22 million program provides victims of domestic violence with support from specially trained Crown prosecutors, Victim/Witness Assistance Program staff, police, Partner Assault Response programs, language interpreters and other service providers. It operates in all 54 Ontario court districts and is the most comprehensive program of its kind in Canada.

    Victim/Witness Assistance Program

    A cornerstone of services provided to victims of crime, this program received $16 million in annual funding and helped more than 66,000 Ontarians last year. It provides information, assistance, referrals and support to victims and witnesses of crime, throughout the criminal court process, in all 54 court districts across the province. Surveys consistently show that over 90 per cent of clients are satisfied with the services they receive. Program staff maintain close contact with local community agencies to ensure victims can access the full range of supports they need.

    Guns & Gangs Task Force

    A dedicated 12-member victim/witness assistance team is being put in place as part of the Guns & Gangs Task Force, which is based at a new $26 million state-of-the-art Operations Centre.

    Bail Safety Project

    In 10 locations across the province, the Bail Safety Project provides trained teams of Crown prosecutors, victim services staff and police to conduct in-depth interviews with victims of domestic violence at the bail stage. This is a time of high risk for victims. The government has provided $11 million over three years to help identify high-risk situations, allowing Crown prosecutors to make better recommendations at bail hearings to help stop the cycle of violence.

    Victim Support Line

    The Victim Support Line is a free provincewide information line providing services in English and French, including referrals to community agencies, information on the criminal justice system and information to registered clients about the status and scheduled release date of provincially incarcerated offenders.

    Combating Internet Child Pornography and Luring

    A comprehensive, five-part, $5 million strategy is being implemented to combat Internet child pornography and offer support to victims and refer them to appropriate community services. It includes:

• An undercover team of municipal police officers working online to identify suspects and victims, and prevent further victimization
• Dedicated Crown prosecutors to ensure a uniform level of excellence with respect to victim support and prosecution
• Victim support to ensure that identified victims are connected with the specialized services they need.

    Hate Crimes Community Working Group

    The government established the Hate Crimes Community Working Group in December 2005. The Working Group tabled more than 80 recommendations aimed at improving services to victims of hate crimes and preventing further victimization.

    Community HAte-crimes Response Grants Program (CHARG)

    The government is investing $1.35 million in this program, which responds to several recommendations of the Hate Crimes Community Working Group. Four kinds of community-based initiatives are being funded under this program:

• Projects to enhance community resources and/or address gaps in services to victims of hate crimes
• A hate crime forum to strengthen networks and share information among victims groups, educators and members of the criminal justice system
• A website for victims containing provincewide information about hate crimes and victim services
• Templates for community-based victim impact statements for use in court.

    Nishnawbe Aski Nation

    The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is receiving more than $700,000 over three years to provide services to male victims in northern Aboriginal communities who have suffered sexual abuse.
 
    Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic

    The clinic is a multi-service agency for female victims of violence in Toronto. The Ministry of the Attorney General provides $300,000 in annual funding for a specialized legal service for assaulted women at the clinic.

    SupportLink Program

    Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in 20 Ontario locations can access intensive safety planning and 911-programmed cell phones through this program.

    Contact:
    Brendan Crawley
    Ministry of the Attorney General
    Communications Branch
    (416) 326-2210

                      www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca

For further information: Greg Crone, Ministry of the Attorney General, Minister's Office, (416) 326-1785; Brendan Crawley, Ministry of the Attorney General, Communications Branch, (416) 326-2210

From the Edmonton Journal ...

Residential school settlement OK'd
CanWest News Service - August 21, 2007

REGINA - The deadline for native people to sign up for a multibillion-dollar national settlement came and went on Monday, with the critical number of people agreeing to take the money.

If 5,000 had refused the settlement, Ottawa would have had the right to scrap the deal.

But few declined, meaning an aboriginal who was forced to be away from his or her family while attending a residential school will get an average $27,000.

The minimum payment is $10,000, plus $3,000 for each year he or she spent in a residential school.

The federal government forced generations of native children to attend residential schools run by six Christian denominations. Stories of dislocation as well as physical and sexual abuse are typical of their experiences. The policy continued up to the 1960s.

Under the settlement, victims of the worst physical or sexual abuse can get up to $250,000 and up to another $250,000 if it cost them lost income over the years.

Those who opted out of the settlement process will not receive any money through the common-experience payment option or through the independent assessment process.

However, they retain the right to sue the government or churches on their own.

An estimated 80,000 survivors are still alive.

++++++

From CBC News online ...

Money-managing workshops in the works for residential school deal
August 21, 2007

Former students of Indian residential schools had until Monday to decide whether to opt out of a historic class-action settlement, and now the federal government is preparing to help recipients handle their money.

The $1.9-billion compensation package from Ottawa could be implemented as early as Sept. 19, assuming no more than 5,000 of the estimated 80,000 former students opt out and no further appeals are filed.

Students taking the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement will not be able to sue the government, churches or any other defendant down the road.

"We've had relatively few opt-outs at this point," said Gina Wilson, assistant deputy minister of Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada, the federal department tasked with implementing the settlement.

"I figure probably in about another week or so, the courts will come back to us and let us know how exactly many opt-outs we have received. But I understand that the numbers are relatively low."

The agreement, approved by the federal government and the courts last year, stemmed from the sexual, physical and psychological abuses of students at the 130 Canadian schools run jointly by the government and religious organizations until the mid-1970s.

Wilson said applications for compensation will be made available Sept. 19, and cheques could start going out as early as October. It's expected that each eligible person would receive an average of $28,000.

Wilson said she expects some positive economic spinoffs from the compensation, such as recipients buying new vehicles, fixing up their homes or paying bills, but she said people must also be aware of possible pitfalls.

"We know in our communities we have addiction problems. We have trauma that can be not well supported," she said.

"We have frauds and scams, and we also have encountered elder abuse, and so we're very cautious of that."

Working group launched

The federal goverment has established a community impacts working group to help people manage their compensation funds.

Made up of federal departments, aboriginal organizations, churches, police and front-line workers, the group has already scheduled workshops on investments in about 150 communities across the country.

That kind of investment assistance is crucial, said Marius Tungilik, a former residential school student from Repulse Bay in Nunavut.

"Some people will spend it foolishly without a doubt," said Tungilik, who attended a residential school in Chesterfield Inlet from 1963 to 1969.

"There will be some people who just feel it's not their money to begin with, and there may be the temptation to spend it all at once or as quickly as possible. And life can become one huge party for a while, and before you know it, it will be all gone without anything to show for it."

Tungilik said former students who want to feel "a sense of ownership" of their compensation should leave the money in the bank for a few days or weeks before spending it.

"You will get the feeling that it is yours to spend," he said. "Have a plan as to how you will use that money. Without a plan it's very easy to just spend it."

++++++++

From CBC News ...

Decision day for residential schools deal - Monday deadline to accept $1.9B settlement
August 20, 2007

Former students of Indian residential schools have until the end of the day to decide whether to opt out of the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history.

The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, which was approved by the federal government and the courts last year, will provide at least $1.9 billion to former students at the 130 schools that were run jointly by the government and religious organizations until the mid-1970s.

The compensation stems from sexual, physical or psychological abuses suffered by students during that time. The agreement applies to about 80,000 residential school survivors in late 2005.

A government update this month said the deal could be implemented Sept. 19 if there are no further appeals and fewer than 5,000 of the estimated 80,000 former students opt out. The notice indicated that opt-out numbers are low.

It's expected that each eligible person would receive an average of $28,000. Students who take the settlement won't be able to sue the government, the churches or any other defendant in the class action, the government said.

Phyllis Chelsea, a Shuswap elder from Alkali Lake in British Columbia who attended the St. Joseph Residential school, told CBC Radio's The Current on Monday that she has reluctantly agreed to accept the deal, which will provide her and her grandchildren about $34,000.

"I didn't want anything to do with it," said Chelsea, who suffered both sexual and physical abuse. "But when I saw the offer of money — for me — I had to consider that."

At his first meeting with native leaders at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs' annual conference in Winnipeg, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Chuck Strahl told reporters the settlement is first on his mind.

Strahl replaced Jim Prentice last week.

The payout could begin in November with the entire fund distributed by April 2008, the Globe and Mail reported.

Corrections and Clarifications
The $1.9-billion compensation agreement applies to all students who attended residential schools, not just those saying they suffered sexual, physical or psychological abuses, as previously reported. - Aug. 21, 2007