Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Multiple lawsuits were launched in the 1990s by former students against the government and churches seeking compensation for the abuse they experienced at the residential schools and the loss of their language and culture.

In 2005 the Honourable Frank Iacobucci was appointed to represent the federal government and work with legal counsel for former students, churches, the Assembly of First Nations, and other interested parties to reach an agreement that would address the abuse and create a lasting resolution of the legacy of Indian residential schools.

The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) was approved by all parties on May 10, 2006, making it the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history.

The agreement, which came into effect on September 19, 2007, included the following major elements.

• Common Experience Payment: Each eligible former student receives $10,000 for the first year of school, and $3,000 for every year after.
• Independent Assessment Process: An out-of-court process to resolve claims of sexual abuse and serious physical and psychological abuse.
• Commemoration: Funds for commemorative projects that would honour the experiences of former students and their families.
• Healing Services: Funds for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and the establishment of the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program to address the mental and emotional health of former students.
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Established to allow former students, their families, and communities to share their experiences and make an official record of them.