A proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government says Indigenous people removed from their communities and placed in group homes beginning in the 1950s suffered physical, sexual and psychological abuse that 91裸聊视频渨as commonplace, condoned and, arguably, encouraged.91裸聊视频�
The Federal Court lawsuit filed this month in Vancouver says Indigenous children across the country were forcibly removed from their homes and taken 91裸聊视频渢o live with strangers 91裸聊视频� sometimes hundreds of kilometres from their families and Indigenous communities.91裸聊视频�
Lawyer Doug Lennox said the lawsuit seeks compensation for those harmed by the country91裸聊视频檚 historic policy of assimilation.
91裸聊视频淭here have been a variety of forms in which this policy has been implemented,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淢ost notably with residential schools, but in other areas as well, such as day schools, such as the 60s scoop, such as boarding homes.91裸聊视频�
From the 1950s until the 1990s, the Canadian government forced many Indigenous, Inuit and M茅tis children into group homes, and those taken from their families under the program haven91裸聊视频檛 been covered by legal settlements involving residential schools, day schools and boarding homes, Lennox said.
91裸聊视频淲e got calls from Indigenous people asking, 91裸聊视频榳ell, where do I fit in? My experience was similar, but I wasn91裸聊视频檛 in a day school, I wasn91裸聊视频檛 in a boarding home. I was in a group home,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭his is a group that has unfortunately been missed up to now, but I think that mistake can be corrected reasonably and fairly and hopefully soon.91裸聊视频�
Canada91裸聊视频檚 group home program ran into the 1990s, and involved taking Indigenous, Inuit and M茅tis children from their families and placing them into dorms, hostels and group homes, 91裸聊视频渄istinct91裸聊视频� from foster homes and residential schools.
The class-action says the program was part of Canada91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频減olicy of forcibly assimilating Indigenous peoples,91裸聊视频� leading to the systematic eradication of 91裸聊视频渢he culture, society, language, customs, traditions, practices and spirituality of the plaintiffs and other class members.91裸聊视频�
Some of the homes were operated by church groups and others staffed by the Canadian government, and they didn91裸聊视频檛 support Indigenous languages and cultural practices, causing those who lived in the homes to experience 91裸聊视频減rofound disruption and disconnection91裸聊视频� from their families and communities.
The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages against the Canadian government for breach of fiduciary duties and negligence, but there has been no response filed to the lawsuit and the allegations remain unproven and untested in court.
A statement from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada said that 91裸聊视频淐anada has taken significant steps to resolve claims concerning historic harms committed against Indigenous children outside of the courts, whenever possible.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淐anada recently received the claim and is in the process of reviewing it to determine next steps,91裸聊视频� the statement said.
The case has four lead plaintiffs, including Carol Smythe, a member of the Nisga91裸聊视频檃 First Nation in British Columbia, who claims she was placed in a group home in 1977 when she was 13 in Aiyansh, B.C.
She alleges she was verbally and physically abused at the home, and witnessed other children being physically and sexually abused.
91裸聊视频淭he entire experience was terrifying for her,91裸聊视频� the lawsuit says.
Another B.C.-based plaintiff, Reginald Mueller, a member of the Tsq茅scen First Nation, claims he was taken from his community when he was 10 in 1969 to stay in hostels that 91裸聊视频渄id not support Indigenous language and culture.91裸聊视频�
Plaintiff Donna Kennedy, a member of the Garden Hill First Nation in Manitoba, alleges she was 13 when she was removed from her home in 1966 and taken to a dormitory operated by the United Church of Canada for four years.
Plaintiff Toby Forest, of the Lac La Ronge First Nation in Saskatchewan, claims the Canadian government removed him from his community in 1968 when he was seven, and took him to the Timber Bay Children91裸聊视频檚 Home.
The home had a dormitory run by a religious group that was contracted by the Canadian government as part of the group home program, where Forest alleges he was physically abused.
91裸聊视频淗e tried to escape from the home, and to return to his family 11 times,91裸聊视频� the lawsuit says. 91裸聊视频淥n his 11th attempt, he made it back to his parents in Sucker River, Saskatchewan. He did not go back to Timber Bay Children91裸聊视频檚 Home after that.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淐anada had detailed knowledge of the breach of Aboriginal and treaty rights and the widespread psychological, emotional, sexual and cultural abuses of the plaintiffs and other class members,91裸聊视频� the lawsuit says. 91裸聊视频淒espite this knowledge, Canada did nothing to remedy the situation and continued to administer the group home program, thus continuing to permit the perpetration of grievous harm to the plaintiffs and other class members.91裸聊视频�
Lennox said the lawsuit involves Indigenous people who 91裸聊视频渟lipped through the cracks91裸聊视频� of other compensation claims involving residential schools, day schools and boarding houses,
91裸聊视频淭his case is about recognizing this other program that has so far been uncompensated, the group homes program, recognizing that it was a similar and further form of harm on indigenous peoples,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd trying to rectify that harm, trying to right this sad chapter of our history and to further goals of reconciliation in our country.91裸聊视频�
