Image Credit: Contributed / Shane Gottfriedson

By Sydney Chisholm

Residential Schools

15 years later, victory for former Tk’emlups chief

Jan 23, 2023 | 4:12 PM

KAMLOOPS – Former Tk’emlups Chief Shane Gottfriedson says the start of negotiations with the Government of Canada was the first victory for his people.

Over the weekend, the federal government announced it had reached a $2.8 billion settlement with 325 Indigenous groups who are part of a class action lawsuit filed over a decade ago.

The lawsuit was filed due to loss of language and culture wrought by residential schools. It was settled out of court.

Gottfriedson said the exclusion of day scholars, in former prime minister Stephen Harper’s apology started his 15-year journey for reparations.

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“Our leadership heard our people loud and clear,” Gottfriedson told CFJC News, “so we just stepped up and took on this fight for our people’s human rights.”

On Saturday, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller announced the $2.8 billion deal, built on a group of principles called the Four Pillars: revival and protection of Indigenous languages, revival and protection of Indigenous cultures, protection and promotion of heritage, and wellness for Indigenous communities and their members.

According to Gottfriedson, currently, less than six per cent of his people speak their language fluently.

“This is about building a legacy for our future generations and revitalizing our language and culture and having more people speak and know what our culture is about,“ he explained.

Though the deal must still be approved by the Federal Court, Canada agreed to pay the $2.8 billion settlement into the new trust fund.

The new trust will operate for 20 years, independently from the federal government.

According to officials, each of the 325 bands involved in the suit will receive $200,000 to develop “a funding proposal based on the Four Pillars.”

Once the proposals have been reviewed, they will guide the initial payment of $325 million.

All parties will go before the Federal Court at the end of February for approval of the settlement terms but Gottfriedson said the start of negotiations was a win for his people.

“This victory was really about them. This was all about our people. It was never about leadership. It was using our voices, carrying their stories forward to seek justice. I can’t explain the feeling but it is one of personal satisfaction, where my heart feels really good.”