Sixties Scoop Settlement
Deadline August 30, 2019
What is the Sixties Scoop?
The Sixties Scoop is the name for a series of policies enacted by provincial child welfare authorities starting in the mid-1950s and continued into the 1980s, that saw thousands of Indigenous children taken from their homes and families, placed in foster homes, and eventually adopted out to white families from across Canada and the United States. These children lost their names, their languages, and a connection to their heritage.[1]
A class action suit was started by a small group of individuals (the “Representative Plaintiffs”) on behalf of the Indigenous people who were taken during these years. The lawsuit argued that Indian and Inuit children who were victims of the Sixties Scoop lost their cultural identity and, as a result, suffered psychologically, emotionally, spiritually and physically. They were also deprived of their status, their aboriginal and treaty rights and monetary benefits that they were entitled to pursuant to the Indian Act, RSC 1985, c I-5 and related legislation and policies.[2]
The Representative Plaintiffs started a lawsuit against the Federal Government of Canada. The parties agreed to a settlement, saving the cost, time delay and uncertainty of a trial.
What does the settlement provide and who is eligible?
The settlement provides two things: Individual compensation and establishing a Foundation to promote and enable change and reconciliation.
To qualify for the individual compensation of the settlement you must:
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- be registered Indian (as defined in the Indian Act) or Inuit or a person eligible to be a registered Indian, and
- have been removed from your home in Canada between January 1, 1951 and December 31, 1991 and placed in the care of non-Indigenous foster or adoptive parents.
For the Foundation that Canada will fund, its mandate and governance will be created and defined based on a consultation process with survivors across Canada. The work of the Foundation will likely focus on access to education, healing and wellness and commemoration activities for communities and individuals. The intention of this Foundation is to bridge the generations that were divided, give meaning to the suffering that happened and provide healing and reconciliation to all those affected by the Sixties Scoop.
I am eligible for individual compensation. How do I claim my compensation?
To benefit from the settlement, you must fill out an Individual Payment Application Form by the deadline of AUGUST 30, 2019. The form can be found here.
The claims administrator involved with this settlement will help confirm whether or not you qualify and find documents if you do not have access to the required documentation from the provincial or territorial child service agency regarding your placement in care. Individual compensation will depend on the number of eligible class members who submit claims, to a maximum of $50,000 per person. All compensation that is not claimed will go to the Foundation.
Questions and Resources
If you are not sure whether you are included in the settlement, you may call 1-844-287-4270 with questions, visit www.sixtiesscoopsettlement.info or email sixtiesscoop@collectiva.ca.
More details are available in the Settlement Agreement which may be found online at:
www.sixtiesscoopsettlement.info
[1] https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/the-sixties-scoop-explained
[2] https://www.sixtiesscoopsettlement.info/Documents/NOTICE%20FINAL_long%20form.pdf