Wibbly-Wobbly Ramblings

In N.W.T, Truth and Reconciliation Day marked by sharing, community, and calls for change | CBC News

In Northwest Territories, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was a chance for residential school survivors to mourn the past and

CBC

In Yellowknife on Saturday, dozens of people gathered at the N'dilo gym to honour survivors of residential schools and mourn the children who never made it home.

N'dilo Chief Fred Sangris gave the opening remarks as attendees stood in a circle around a sacred fire.

"Right across the country, truth and reconciliation is happening. But we can never bring back those children…," Sangris said.

"Even though it's a sad time in our lives, we're going to be opening up and talking about the residential schools, to get truth for the many Canadians like yourselves who should know the truth." 

The gathering, which was organized by the wellness team at Yellowknives Dene First Nation, was one of many events  held across the territory this week for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. [...]

PM slams western premiers over criticism of minister's comments on natural resources | CBC News

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed three western premiers during a visit to Winnipeg Wednesday, saying they misconstrued comments Justice

CBC

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed three western premiers Wednesday, saying they misconstrued comments the federal justice minister made this week about natural resources legislation.

Earlier this week, the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba accused David Lametti of threatening to strip the provinces' constitutional authority over natural resources.

When asked during a visit to Winnipeg Wednesday for his response to concerns raised by the Prairie premiers, Trudeau denied that's what the justice minister said.

"The minister of justice said no such thing," the prime minister said at a news conference. 

Trudeau said comments his justice minister made last week regarding the Natural Resources Transfer Act were about the federal government's duty to live up to its responsibilities under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, "something that unfortunately the Prairie premiers have not taken seriously," the prime minister said.

"They are instead trying to elevate fears that have no grounding in truth." [...]

Ottawa breaching Indian residential school settlement agreement: Sen. Murray Sinclair

"I am convinced survivors…would not have agreed to or approved the settlement agreement if they’ve known the government would come back later and say, now we intend to exclude these schools going forward.”

aptn.ca

Ottawa breached the multi-billion dollar Indian residential school settlement agreement by allowing its lawyers to use legalistic tactics to defeat and limit compensation claims from survivors during private hearings, says Sen. Murray Sinclair, who was chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Sinclair said he doubts many residential school survivors would have agreed to the settlement agreement, which was finalized under the Liberal government of Paul Martin, if they knew federal government lawyers would resort to splitting jurisdictional hairs to disqualify compensation claims under the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) which was created by the settlement agreement.

“The way that government lawyers have taken advantage of the stature of the government to, in effect, seek and obtain rulings that allows them to avoid further responsibility or the responsibility which they said they would undertake during the negotiations of the settlement agreement causes me concern,” said Sinclair, in an interview with APTN’s political show Nation to Nation which aired Thursday. “I think in fact it is a breach of the settlement agreement….I am convinced survivors…would not have agreed to or approved the settlement agreement if they’ve known the government would come back later and say, now we intend to exclude these schools going forward.”

Sinclair was referring to the so-called administrative split, a tactic used by federal lawyers to defeat claims by arguing Ottawa’s responsibility for incidents did not extend to areas of residential school compounds after they were transferred administratively to other agencies.

Ottawa breaching Indian residential school settlement agreement: Sen. Murray Sinclair

"I am convinced survivors…would not have agreed to or approved the settlement agreement if they’ve known the government would come back later and say, now we intend to exclude these schools going forward.”

aptn.ca

Ottawa breached the multi-billion dollar Indian residential school settlement agreement by allowing its lawyers to use legalistic tactics to defeat and limit compensation claims from survivors during private hearings, says Sen. Murray Sinclair, who was chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Sinclair said he doubts many residential school survivors would have agreed to the settlement agreement, which was finalized under the Liberal government of Paul Martin, if they knew federal government lawyers would resort to splitting jurisdictional hairs to disqualify compensation claims under the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) which was created by the settlement agreement.

“The way that government lawyers have taken advantage of the stature of the government to, in effect, seek and obtain rulings that allows them to avoid further responsibility or the responsibility which they said they would undertake during the negotiations of the settlement agreement causes me concern,” said Sinclair, in an interview with APTN’s political show Nation to Nation which aired Thursday. “I think in fact it is a breach of the settlement agreement….I am convinced survivors…would not have agreed to or approved the settlement agreement if they’ve known the government would come back later and say, now we intend to exclude these schools going forward.”

Sinclair was referring to the so-called administrative split, a tactic used by federal lawyers to defeat claims by arguing Ottawa’s responsibility for incidents did not extend to areas of residential school compounds after they were transferred administratively to other agencies.