Day school settlement claims take time and support, says survivor as July deadline approaches

With the July deadline to apply for the Indian day schools settlement approaching, one survivor is warning others to take the time and support they need when filing the application.   

"When you're digging up all those old ghosts, it's hard," said Robert Maytwayashing, an Anishinaabe elder from Lake Manitoba First Nation. 

"That's why a lot of people are just going for that 10 grand, because it's too painful."

Maytwayashing is one of over 130,000 people who have already submitted a claim in the 2019 $1.47-billion settlement for former students of federally-operated day schools.

Like residential schools, day schools aimed to assimilate Indigenous children while eradicating Indigenous languages and cultures, and often had religious affiliations to the Roman Catholic, United, Anglican, and other churches.

The class action settlement offers former students a range of compensation between $10,000 and $200,000, based on abuse suffered.

Claims began being accepted in January 2020, and the deadline is July 13, 2022.

Maytwayashing said he attended day school for about five years, starting in the early 1970s. He said he had difficulty filling out his application because he was abused at the school. The form asks claimants to recount traumatic events, including dates, times and recurrences.

Maytwayashing said he had to stop working on his application three times in a month, before finally submitting it in November 2020.

"I started it and then I couldn't go anymore. It was just too tough," said Maytwayashing.

"It's not an easy thing to do, especially if you went through anything."

This past November, Maytwayashing received a cheque for $200,000, the maximum amount allowed based on the harms that he had suffered.

While there are mental health supports available for people going through the application, Maytwayashing said he relied on his traditional ceremonies as well as the support of family and friends.

Support offered

There were close to 700 federal day schools across the country and class counsel Gowling WLG estimates there are between 120,000 and 140,000 potential former students who are eligible for the settlement.

"We recognize and honour the strength it takes to go through this claims process," said Cam Cameron, class counsel lead in a news release.

"We hope to avoid anyone feeling rushed or being left out. That's why we are encouraging people to take the next step now."

A representative from Argyle PR said in a statement to CBC News that survivors can call or email for support for the application process and that online workshops are taking place to help people with the application.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is available to day school survivors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or the online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.