Welcome from Frank Iacobucci

On May 30, 2005, I was appointed by the Government of Canada as its Federal Representative with a mandate to achieve a fair and lasting resolution of the Indian Residential Schools legacy. I had recently retired from the Supreme Court of Canada and was completing a term as interim President of the University of Toronto. I accepted this mandate because I believe we have a historic opportunity to resolve an issue that is fundamentally important not only to former students, but for all Aboriginal people and all Canadians.

I established this website as a resource for former Indian Residential School students and any member of the public who would like to know more about my mandate and the resolution process we have established, and to keep abreast of developments resulting from our discussions.

My mandate, as described in the "Background" section of this website, is a broad one that covers not only issues of monetary compensation, but also issues of truth, reconciliation and healing, among other things. The resolution process, also described in more detail in the "Background" section and elsewhere in this website, began in late July 2005 and has involved regular meetings with representatives of former students of Indian Residential Schools and the churches, as well as meetings with other groups and individuals.

As a result of these discussions, on November 23, 2005, the Government of Canada announced that the parties involved had reached an Agreement in Principle toward a fair and lasting resolution of the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. After this provisional consensus was achieved, the parties returned to the table to begin negotiation of a final Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

I am pleased to report that as a result of these discussions, a Settlement Agreement has been concluded and approved by all parties, which was announced by the Government of Canada on May 10, 2006. The Settlement Agreement will now be presented to the courts in nine Canadian jurisdictions for approval, followed by a five month opt-out period for former students of Indian Residential Schools. It is important to recognize that the Settlement Agreement does not come into effect until the completion of the opt-out period.

The Settlement Agreement proposes a Common Experience Payment for all eligible former students of Indian Residential Schools, an Independent Assessment Process for claims of sexual or serious physical abuse, as well as measures to support healing, commemorative activities, and the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Please check the "Documents" section of this website for the text of the Settlement Agreement and the informational materials created for it.

The Government of Canada also announced that eligible former Indian Residential School students 65 years of age and older as of May 30, 2005 are now able to apply for an advance payment of $8000.

The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement was only possible due to the efforts of all parties at the table. For this, I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Assembly of First Nations and other Aboriginal organizations and their counsel, legal counsel for former students, legal counsel for the Church entities involved, and my colleagues from Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada and the Department of Justice. The task was complex and challenging, but the extraordinary goodwill and determination among all the participants in the process has brought us closer to enduring resolution.

The Honourable Frank Iacobucci