Canada agrees to pay $ 31 billion in compensation to abused tribal children in government-run orphanages

For decades, thousands of Aboriginal children in Canada were separated from their families, cut off from their culture, and sent to foster homes, where many suffered various forms of abuse.

Canada will no longer compensate those children.

The North American country announced this Tuesday that it was setting aside US $$ 31 billion in compensation for domestic children and families Who experienced abuse and discrimination while in government foster homes.

In September, a court upheld a 2016 ruling that found the government to have less funding for services to first countries compared to services for non-indigenous children.

The court ordered him to pay C $ 40,000 ($ 31,350) to each child in the welfare system after 2006.

The government initially said it would appeal the ruling, but changed its position after more than 1,100 unmarked graves were found in former residential schools.

Until 1996, Canada’s boarding school system separated Indigenous children from their families and sent them to boarding schools, where many suffered from malnutrition, beatings and sexual abuse.

The school system was part of an effort to integrate Indigenous children into Canadian culture. They are being forced to abandon their mother tongues and convert to Christianity.

A source told the CBC, Canada’s public radio station, that the government’s compensation would include a 2016 ruling and help finance two cases and long-term reforms in the domestic child welfare system.

“Money does not mean justice, but it does mean that we are on the path to recovery,” said Roseanne Archibald, national chairman of the First Nations Legislative Assembly a few weeks ago, when the government announced that it was willing to pay that amount.

“The size of the compensation package is a testament to how many of our children have been deprived of their families and their communities,” he added.

The schools, which operated between 1874 and 1996, housed approximately 150,000 Medes and Inuit children.

This policy shocked generations of tribal children, who were forced to abandon their mother tongues, speak English or French, and convert to Christianity.

Christian churches are essential for the establishment and operation of schools.

Church cAtolic was responsible for running 70% of residential schools in particular, According to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

A year ago, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had agreed to go to Canada to assist in reconciliation efforts.

But no formal date has been announced and despite repeated calls from Canadians, the pope has not made an official apology for the church’s role.

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