From a press release sent on March 3, 2025.
After two decades of calling for proper recognition of the abuse suffered by thousands of Métis and First Nations youth who attended the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School (ILEX), an Agreement in Principle has been reached between the ILEX Survivors’ Committee and Canada.
This is a historic step on the journey to justice and reconciliation for the school Survivors.
“I was only barely five years old when I went in [to ILEX School, which was 76 years ago]—it took me that long to hear what I heard today,” said Elder Antoinette LaFleur, who is a Survivor and a committee member.
The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School is one of the oldest of its kind in Canada and didn’t cease operations until the mid-1970s. From 1820, thousands of Métis children were removed from their loving homes and forced to assimilate. Many were well under the age of ten. They were forbidden to see brothers and sisters attending the same school and prevented from speaking their native tongue. Which forced them to learn English.
“We went through hell just to get an education. We went through abuse, mental abuse, physical abuse, and loneliness just to get an education… No person should be treated like that… It affects the children too,” said Elder Emile Janvier, who is also a Survivor.
“We’re losing the survivors at a rapid pace, and so we just feel that it’s time to at least honour some of our survivors and look after them the way we should be looking after them and respect that… I guess based on that…we find this one of the first steps in justice…in healing for us,” said Louis Gardiner, Survivor and committee member.
No numerical figure could ever erase the injustices committed. Survivor and committee member Gardiner emphasized the importance of beginning to resolve these legal claims.
There are two main compensatory components under the terms of the Agreement in Principle:
1) Experience Payments for Survivors (up to $27.355 million in total)
2) A Legacy Fund ($10 million), which will be operated by a not-for-profit group and invested. It will fund projects to address healing, wellness, education, language, culture, and commemoration for Survivors and intergenerational Survivors.
“It has been a long road to get to this point today. We are proud of all the work the committee has done in the best interests of the Survivors. Since the first pivitol meeting with MN–S in 2017, MN–S elected officials, legal counsel, and employees have all worked tirelessly to support the committee. We also recognize those who’ve come before us and worked on this file over the years, as well as the many Survivors that we lost while they awaited justice. We remember them and their resilience today,” said President Glen McCallum, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S).
The Survivors and the Government of Canada are now working on drafting the final, formal Settlement Agreement.
Once that happens, the claims process will be expedited and accessible, and the Trust for the Legacy Fund will be led by ILEX Survivors and Intergenerational Survivors.
“Even though I think the agreement is a good idea overall, because of what I had went through, the ten years I was in the boarding school, the abuse that I got, I was kind of disappointed that the government doesn’t acknowledge us as kids that went through a lot of physical harm, sexual harm… They know what we went through and yet are not giving us what we were supposed to get,” said Elder LaFleur.
“On behalf of the Survivors, MN–S met with Saskatchewan’s new Minister of Justice last month and pushed for a settlement to resolve,” said MN–S Minister of Justice, Vice President Michelle LeClair. “There can never be true reconciliation or justice for the Survivors until Saskatchewan fulfills its obligations on this file. After such a tumultuous journey, at least Canada has stepped forward with something. We’re relieved for our Survivors and hope they can at least start the healing process.”
MN–S Minister of Justice and Vice President LeClair was instrumental in leading the MN–S on the ILEX file, continuing to call for action.
While the ILEX Survivors will likely always be haunted by their years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the hands of school operators, they agree they can take some comfort in this acknowledgment, know their truth is finally being believed, and will be able to take steps to move on.
You can rewatch the Survivors’ media conference and find more information on how you can help ILEX school survivors continue their quest for justice by visiting https://www.united4survivors.ca/.
If you or someone you know is a residential school survivor requiring support, please contact the 24-hour toll-free crisis line at 1-866-925-4419.
(Photo is a screenshot from the Live streamed announcement)