Let the healing begin
Government to establish fund for victims of abuse

by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 22/97) - The federal government will announce in the first week of the new year that it will set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to help aboriginal people abused at residential schools.

"We're not sure of the amount, but my understanding is it's close to $350 million," said Dene Nation Chief Bill Erasmus, who, in his capacity as Assembly of First Nations vice-chief for the North, has been kept informed of the negotiations.

"The money will be going into a healing fund that will be administered at arm's length from government," said Erasmus.

The announcement, which will come in the form of a reconciliation statement, is Ottawa's first concrete response to the Royal Commission Report on Aboriginal Peoples, which was released in November 1996.

"We were concerned because the previous government was low-key on the report," said Erasmus. "They were even hinting they wouldn't implement some of the major recommendations. After the election they took the time to study it and work with us jointly on trying to come to terms with what was said in it," Erasmus said.

The government and the AFN will mutually agree on the composition of the group that will administer the fund, said Erasmus.

He and other AFN representatives were briefed on the announcement in a meeting two weeks ago with Jane Stewart, minister of Indian affairs and Northern development.

Government officials would neither confirm nor deny the government has plans to set up such a fund.

"I'm not going to pre-announce the minister on this," said Shaun Pupper, senior adviser on residential schools for DIAND.

Pupper said the department was "at the point now where we're dotting the i's and crossing the t's" on an announcement.

According to a recent xxxGlobe and Mail report, the fund is part of a government response to the Royal Commission report, but will not come with an apology.

That disappoints Peter Ernerk, assistant director of Inuit culture for the Northern Heritage Centre. He said an apology is an important part of the healing process.

"I would like to see them acknowledge there were problems, that there was an objective to assimilate us ... I think they're afraid we will ask for more money," said Ernerk.

He, along with Nunavut Interim Commissioner Jack Anawak, Nunavut Tunngavik president Jose Kusugak and Marius Tungilik, director of human resources in Anawak's office, attended residential school at Chesterfield Inlet.

"We have never downplayed the importance of the education we got," said Ernerk. "It was top notch ... but socially and culturally, we paid a high price."

Ernerk recalled that on Feb. 27, 1996, former students received a personal apology from Bishop Roleau for the abuse they suffered at the Catholic school.

Erasmus said the reconciliation statement is a form of apology.

"To me it's clear Canada is admitting it was part of the overall organization, in terms of putting people in schools and relying on the churches to educate us."