Winnipeg, Manitoba — The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation declares support for survivors of the Sixties Scoop today as they finally have their day in court.
“This case is an important first step in recognizing the trauma caused by the Sixties Scoop in all our communities,” says Ry Moran, Director of the Centre. “Recognition that lasting harm was caused is an important precondition for reconciliation.
The residential school system, day schools, the Sixties scoop and the forced relocation of Indigenous peoples are all examples of misguided and damaging polices that existed in Canada for over a century.
Thousands of children were taken from their parents without their parents’ consent. Many of these children, now adults, lost their families, cultures, and identities through the Scoop.
While the case in court today only covers claimants in the province of Ontario, the Centre recognizes that the scoop created a lost generation of Indigenous peoples across the country.
“Understanding the breadth, depth and ongoing effects of the aggressive assimilation agenda that endured in Canada for so long is critical for reconciliation” states Moran. It will not be until Canadians begin to really understand what was done to Indigenous peoples and cultures that we can begin to heal as a nation. Today is another important step in this journey.”
About the case:
The Ontario Sixties Scoop Claim is about an agreement between Canada and Ontario in 1965 that gave the province authority to enact a child welfare program that took Indigenous children away from their families and placed them into the welfare system. The class action suit covers the period from December 1965 when the agreement was signed to December 1984, when Aboriginality was made an important factor in child protection and placement practices through Ontario’s Child and Family Services Act.
About the NCTR:
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, located at the University of Manitoba, is the permanent home for all statements, documents, and other materials gathered by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission during their multi-year investigation into Canada’s residential school system. The Centre runs active programming in the areas of education, research, and community engagement.
For more information, please contact:
Jean Ong
