Lawyer Dissatisfied With Ottawa’s IAP Publicity
Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 15:12
A Regina-based lawyer says very little has been done to let residential school survivors know about the Independent Assessment Process.
Tony Merchant says many former students don’t realize that further money is likely available to them in addition to the Common Experience Payment.
Merchant says the IAP is open to most survivors, and is intended to compensate them for wrongs suffered while at the schools.
He says the treasury board has set aside vast sums of money to fund the process, but Ottawa doesn’t seem to be advertising that fact.
Merchant notes billions of dollars are available to survivors, but what’s left over will go back to the government.
He says survivors may get up to $450,000 through the process.
According to Merchant, one former student who he represented managed to collect compensation for wages he would have made as a mechanic if the abuse never took place.
However, Merchant says former students should get legal help, as the government-created process is quite complex.