Mr. Speaker, the government has abandoned four major Canadian churches and left some of them facing bankruptcy as a result of the announcement of the Deputy Prime Minister that the federal government would pay 70% of the out of court settlements reached with former Indian residential school students.
Why has the government turned its back on the Anglican, United, Presbyterian and Catholic churches of Canada in this desperate attempt to settle these lawsuits? Why is the government extending the damage it caused to aboriginal children to Canadian churches that cannot afford to pay these bills?
The federal government forced aboriginal children to go to residential schools for over a century. It delayed the settlement of the Indian residential school claims for many years forcing these people to go to court. Then the government further delayed the court cases by dragging the churches into the lawsuits.
The government does not care about the damage it will cause Canadian churches. The government does not care about the aboriginal victims who will be unable to receive damages from these churches when they are forced into bankruptcy.
Why will it not do the right thing as Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come has suggested: assume 100% liability, pay the damages and leave the churches alone?