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Chief Marcia Brown Martel is a lead claimant in the 'Sixties Scoop' court settlement with Canada. Under the settlement, First Nations and Inuit children who were taken from their homes between 1951 and 1991 will be eligible for personal compensation. |
Montreal Sixties Scoop victims from 1951 to 1991 can seek assistance from National Indigenous Survivors of Child Welfare Network regarding settlement
In October of 2017, the federal Government of Canada reached a settlement with the First Nations victims of the “Sixties Scoop.” The program gained its nickname when child welfare agencies removed thousands of indigenous children from their communities primarily in the 60’s and placed them with foster families or adopting families.
After years of trying to fight against the Canadian federal government, Lead claimant Chief Marcia Brown Martel won a massive victory when the court awarded a payout of $800 million Canadian / $635 million American, to about 20,000 victims.
How to seek compensation and / or support as a “Sixties Scoop” survivor Colleen Cardinal, (Plains Cree from Saddle Lake Cree Nation) one of the co-founders of the National Indigenous Survivors of Child Welfare Network (NISCW) told Indian Country Today that the NISCW is a great resource for those seeking compensation and / or support as a “Sixties Scoop” survivor.
In addition to offering services such as leadership, support and advocacy for those affected by Indigenous child removal systems in Canada, the NISCW is currently offering a specific “Sixties Scoop” Peer Support Toll Free Number (1-866-456-6060.)
According to the NISCW website:
The peer support line will provide listening and support services to Indigenous 60s scoop survivors who experienced displacement, loss of culture, due to being adopted or fostered in non-Indigenous households across Canada, the U.S.A.
The Peer Support Line will provide safe, respectful and non-judgemental confidential listening.It will link Survivors to approved services across Canada to support their emotional, cultural, spiritual and mental needs.
Services include:
- Provide direction on how to access government information related to their adoption and other government documentation.
- Provide direction to support their repartition efforts that include finding families and communities.
- Provide information and direction on how to attain Indigenous programs and services, Treaty Indian Cards, Metis memberships and Nunavut Land Claims Agreement services for Inuit.
- Provide one-on-one talks with Survivors to listen to stories, connect them with other Survivors, or Sixties Scoop organizations across Canada.
For more information on the National Indigenous Survivors of Child Welfare Network visit
www.NISCW.org.
READ:
Victims Sought: Canada Awards $635 Million to Stolen ‘Sixties Scoop’ Native Children - Indian Country Media Network
A A two-day emergency meeting in Ottawa begins today, to discuss what the Minister of Indigenous Services has called a “humanitarian crisis.”
