Photo: Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School
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A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has established to provide crisis and emotional support. 1-866-925-4419 is a 24-hour hotline.
Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) 24-hour crisis line 1-877-767-7572
Talking Stick App, You can find the Talking Stick App via your mobile device or online at: https://my.talkingstick.app/#/guest/chat
You can find more resources on the United 4 Survivors webpage by visiting the resources tab or by clicking the link provided here: https://www.united4survivors.ca/resources.
The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School Steering Committee announces today that an Agreement in Principle has been reached between the plaintiffs and the Government of Saskatchewan in Gardiner et al v The Attorney General of Canada and The Province of Saskatchewan, the proposed class action on behalf of former students of Île-à-la-Crosse School and their family members.
This agreement follows the agreement in principle which was reached with the Government of Canada earlier this year.
Survivors, family of survivors, community leaders, and Federal leaders gathered to hear Premiere Scott Moe acknowledge the past wrongs and apology to the survivors and their community.
“As a government, MN–S has been establishing strong nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationships. We’re pleased that it’s finally going to help our Survivors. This settlement with Saskatchewan, along with the settlement with Canada, while in principle at this point, will help to bring some much-needed closure to our Survivors, their families, and the community,” said Glen McCallum, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan President.
The unjust exclusion of Île-à-la-Crosse students was described by the Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench as one of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement’s “more significant imperfections” in 2006. Resolving this class action lawsuit is an overdue but vital step in the Survivors’ decades-long struggle for acknowledgement of their experiences of cultural and linguistic harms, as well as physical and sexual abuse, at the Île-à-la-Crosse School.
“My father was forced to attend the Île-à-la-Crosse School. As someone who has grown up in this community and has lived experience with the intergenerational effects, I can say, unequivocally, this agreement in principle is a positive step in the right direction. I hope it will help Île-à-la-Crosse move forward and leave a meaningful legacy for generations to come,” explained Brennan Merasty, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan Justice Minister.
Under the Agreement in Principle, Saskatchewan has agreed to pay $40.2 million to provide restitution to former Île-à-la-Crosse School students and their families, and to promote reconciliation, healing, wellness, education, language, culture and commemoration in the community of Île-à-la-Crosse. Premier Moe has also offered an apology to Survivors and their families.
“It’s a relief to reach this agreement in principle with Saskatchewan. It’s been a very long battle, and we’ve lost a lot of Survivors on the way here. Finally, we’re close to having some closure for the remaining Survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse School, and recognition and compensation for all the harm that we experienced as children,” said Elder Margaret Aubichon, plaintiff and Committee member.
The Committee wishes to thank the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan for their support and advocacy on behalf of all Île-à-la-Crosse School Survivors, including providing invaluable supports throughout the litigation process.
The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School Steering Committee Inc. is composed of 12 board members representing 20 communities in Northwest Saskatchewan.
The committee has been actively advocating for Survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse School for over two decades.
Founding members of the Committee include Antoinette Lafleur, Emile Janvier, Margaret Aubichon, and Duane Favel.
If both proposed settlements with the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada are approved by the court, it will bring an end to the class action lawsuit after over 20 years of litigation.
A class action certification and settlement approval hearing has been scheduled to begin on January 29, 2026, in Saskatoon at the Court of King’s Bench.
To learn more about the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School visit: www.united4survivors.com