Canada to appeal decision to compensate indigenous children harmed by discrimination

Also: Trudeau files last-ditch appeal against billions for Indigenous children (The Guardian)

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Source: Reuters

October 29, 2021
6:21 PM EDT
Last Updated 30 minutes ago

Canada to appeal decision to compensate indigenous children harmed by discrimination

By Anna Mehler Paperny

TORONTO, Oct 29 (Reuters) - The Canadian government said on Friday it would appeal a federal court decision upholding a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling for it to individually compensate indigenous children and their caregivers harmed by a discriminatory child welfare system.

The decision means Canada will continue a 14-year legal battle. The government filed the notice late on Friday afternoon, ahead of a deadline.

The tribunal's ruling is expected to cost the federal government billions of dollars.

The notice says the government "acknowledges the finding of systemic discrimination and does not oppose the general principle that compensation to First Nations individuals."

However, awarding compensation to individuals as the tribunal did was "inconsistent with the nature of the complaint, the evidence, past jurisprudence and the Canadian Human Rights Act," the notice added.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-appeal-decision-compensate-indigenous-children-harmed-by-discrimination-2021-10-29/

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Source: The Guardian

Trudeau files last-ditch appeal against billions for Indigenous children

Tribunal ordered Canadian government to pay compensation to children who suffered discrimination in welfare system

Leyland Cecco in Toronto
Fri 29 Oct 2021 23.34 BST

Justin Trudeau’s government has launched a last-minute court appeal against a ruling that would require it pay billions of dollars to First Nations children who suffered discrimination in the welfare system.

Minutes before a court deadline on Friday afternoon, the government filed papers indicating it planned once again to fight a human rights tribunal decision ordering the compensation payment.

Soon after, however, the government released a statement saying it would pause litigation as it negotiated with First Nations groups to determine how compensation should be paid out.

The decision to fight the tribunal ruling – and the subsequent pause in litigation – was swiftly condemned by prominent Indigenous voices.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/oct/29/trudeau-government-canada-indigenous-children