Canadian Human Rights Tribunal approves $23.4 Billion Compensation package for First Nations children, youth and families

This thoughtful landmark Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision approving compensation recognizes the egregious harms flowing from Canada’s willful and reckless discrimination against First Nations children, youth and families and ensures all victims receive the $40,000 plus interest the Tribunal awarded in 2021. The Tribunal called Canada’s discrimination “willful and reckless” and a “worst-case scenario” because it separated children unnecessarily from their families and created other serious harms – including the tragic deaths of some children.

The compensation agreement will now be submitted to the Federal Court for final approval before steps begin to distribute the funds. Compensation is important, but justice will only truly be achieved once the discrimination stops and effective measures are in place so it does not happen again.

The Caring Society honours all the children, youth and families affected by this compensation agreement and thanks First Nations leadership and experts, our great legal team of Sarah Clarke, David Taylor and Kevin Droz, the Assembly of First Nations, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the class action legal counsel for AFN and the Moushoom team and the many Canadians who continue to stand with First Nations children for justice. Let’s finish the job by ending the discrimination and raising the first generation of First Nations children that do not have to recover from their childhoods.

Statement by Cindy Blackstock, PhD.
Executive Director
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada