Residential school survivors might be in for a nice surprise, according to the Montreal Gazette.
“Parliament has narrowly accepted a report that recommends the government kill its controversial program for victims of residential school abuse and send it to the auditor-general for an investigation,” said the report, by Sutton Eaves of the Canwest News Service.
It went on to say that a 12-member commons committee found that the government has resolved fewer than 10 per cent of cases that have come before it, despite the hefty cost of $600 million.
“More than 1,267 former students applied for compensation between November 2003 and February of this year, while only 79 had hearings. Less than $1 million was awarded,” the story said.
It also said that because of lawyer fees and administration costs, the Indian Residential Schools Resolution invests 80 per cent of its spending in bureaucracy.