The first payment in Canada's $1.9 billion residential school settlement was made on Thursday.
Mary Moonias, a teacher from the Louis Bull First Nation in Alberta, spent 10 years in a residential school.
She said the payment should finally help Native people heal from the suffering they experienced.
"Let's celebrate that we're here. We survived," she said, The Edmonton Sun reported. "Let's learn to talk about our pain and move on. I want my people to move on."
The payment came amid a report from the Aboriginal Healing Foundation which said that some Native people who received other types of government payouts saw increased substance abuse. [Press Release |
Study].
Each student will receive $10,000, plus $3,000 for every year spent in school. The average payment will be about $28,000.
Get the Story:'We will never be broken' (The Edmonton Sun 10/5)
Alberta teacher receives 1st residential schools cheque (CBC 10/4)
Native leader downplays report that says substance abuse problematic with payouts (CP 10/5)
Residential school payments not a handout: Fontaine (CTV 10/5) Relevant Links:
Residential Schools Claims - http://www.residentialschools.ca
Assembly of First Nations - http://www.afn.ca
Indian Residential Schools Resolution Department - http://www.irsr-rqpi.gc.ca/english Related Stories:
Former residential school students await payout (9/25)
Canada finalizes $1.9B residential school deal (9/20)
Residential school students warned of scams (08/31)
Residential school abuse settlement accepted (08/21)
Canada House apologizes for Native student abuse (05/03)
Former residential school official in court (03/06)
Lawyers to discuss Native abuse settlement (2/15)
Law firm says $1.9B abuse settlement held up (2/2)
Canada says $1.9B abuse payout won't be held up (2/1)
Delay in residential school abuse settlement (1/29)
Canada delays residential school abuse case (1/18)
