Posted by:
Nightingale
(
)
Date: August 20, 2022 09:58PM
Here's my little blurb re the Catholic Church's commitment to residential school survivors - and how that turned out so far.
According to a 2015 document, “Canada agreed to "forever discharge" Catholic entities from their promise to raise $25 million for residential school survivors and also picked up their [the church's] legal bill, a final release document shows.”
(The agreement was made between the Catholic Church and Canada’s Conservative government at the time, headed by PM Stephen Harper).
NB: Part of the issue is the judgments rendered by a Canadian court and part is due to the government’s decision not to appeal the decision that favoured the church over the survivors.
CBC article: August 20, 2022
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-deal-catholic-church-fundraising-1.6557533Excerpts:
“Indigenous leaders and legal experts have long questioned why Ottawa opted to give up an appeal of a court decision that meant Catholic entities didn't have to pay their remaining financial obligations under the historic Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement.”
“The actions of the Catholic groups involved — and by extension, the Catholic Church as an institution — as well as Ottawa have been under renewed scrutiny since the uncovering of what are believed to be hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential school sites, which First Nations began announcing last year [2021].”
“The residential schools settlement obligated the 48 Catholic entities involved to pay $79 million, which was broken into three parts, including making "best efforts" to raise $25 million for residential school survivors.”
“At issue was whether lawyers for both sides had struck a deal freeing the church groups from all their financial commitments — including the $25 million for survivors — in exchange for a payment of $1.2 million, or only had an agreement covering a more narrow part of their financial responsibilities.”
“Ultimately, Justice Neil Gabrielson ruled the agreement covered all the church's financial commitments, allowing Catholic entities to walk away from their fundraising promise to survivors after raising less than $4 million.”
“The agreement states, in part: "Canada does hereby remise, release and forever discharge the Catholic entities, its directors, officers, shareholders, agents, lawyers, and employees, of and from all manners of actions, causes of action, suits, debts, dues, accounts, bonds whatsoever against the releasees," it reads.”
Ken Young, a former regional chief at the Assembly of First Nations and a residential school survivor: “... points to a promise made by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops for dioceses to raise $30 million for reconciliation-related efforts over five years. As of July, they reported raising $4.6 million.”
“Young believes the bishops will keep their word, but said given the wealth of the Vatican and the Catholic Church as an institution, fundraising shouldn't be necessary.”
"Write a cheque today — never mind bothering your parishioners to raise it."
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Indeed. How many bake sales or rummage sales would parishioners have to hold to come up with $25M for residential school survivors? Plus, why should Canadian taxpayers pick up the church’s legal bill? It’s outrageous.
Pope Francis apologized for the residential school tragedies during his recent trip to Canada. But this surely must be the greatest case of put your money where your mouth is. Pay the recompense, Francis. (Not that any amount of compensation can repay what was taken – the lives of many children, the potential and futures of others, and the lifetime happiness (turned to grief) of parents whose children were taken by the government and the church, many of whom never made it back home). But after the fact, this is all he can do – honour the agreement. Don’t litigate it down to the lowest amount of $$$, if any, and especially don’t fob off your legal bill onto Canadian taxpayers.
They have a chance to try and make their “sorry” meaningful. They still have a very long way to go.
This opinion is not anti-Catholic. It’s anti-cruelty and anti-adding to the already overwhelming pain of the former students, their families, and the church’s own parishioners, among other affected parties. And anti-going against your word.
And anti-bringing lawyers into every conversation to minimize your damages. It’s not a good look.