by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jan 16/98) - A committee to help Grollier Hall residents cope with alleged sexual abuse and looming court trials held a private meeting in Inuvik this week.

Grollier Hall Residential School Planning Circle founders Harold Cook and Lawrence Norbert met with other former Grollier residents at the Finto Motor Inn on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The committee was formed "with the initial primary focus of trying to support each other through the investigation and trial process, both of which are taking an enormous emotional toll on our families and communities," said Cook.

The media was not invited to the meeting, to allow victims to feel more comfortable talking about issues related to revelations last year that three former employees had been charged with sex crimes of former residents.

Cook said the committee plans to push for government funding to create a 1-800 support hotline for victims, and for an intervention team of caregivers to give help where required.

He pointed out that many of the alleged victims reside in communities across the Western NWT, and it is difficult for the committee to meet with all of the former residents.

Cook also said he hoped to attract government funding to allow his committee to travel to other communities besides Inuvik and Yellowknife, where the committee held its first meeting last month.

"There's some people in the Sahtu, for example, that need our help," he said.

Cook praised the Canadian government, which last week apologized for abuses suffered during the years it supported residential school programs across Canada. Residential schools have been blamed for the loss of language and self-esteem among many aboriginal youth who attended there.

"I don't think an apology was suitable, but it's a good start, and shows the government is beginning to respond to our needs."

Ottawa also pledged $350 million to help victims of abuse at residential schools deal with their ghosts. Cook said he hoped the money would be aimed directly at victims, not allocated to claim groups or bands.

"I'd hate to see the money used to supplement native groups," said Cook. "The funding should go directly to the victims through program delivery."