Ottawa has signed a $20 billion final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families after a tribunal ruled that it has underfunded child welfare payments on reserves.
In January, the federal government, the Assembly of First Nations, and plaintiffs in two class−action lawsuits reached an agreement-in-principle, in which the government committed to compensate First Nations children and families who were underfunded or didn’t receive public support dating back to 1991.
The parties announced on June 4 that the agreement had been finalized though it must still be approved by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) and Federal Court.
The $20 billion accounts for half of an overall $40 billion deal that aims to reform the child-welfare system, including five-year funding for the First Nations Child and Family Services program….