Doug Lennox is a senior class action lawyer at Klein Lawyers. Photo: Submitted
The ‘60s scoop was a dark chapter in Canadian history where between 25,000 and 35,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families between the 1950s and the 1980s, given new names, and placed with non-Indigenous families – some of them outside Canada.
In 2018 a settlement with the federal government awarded each eligible survivor $25,000 as part of an $875-million Sixties Scoop Settlement agreement.
“Most of the second cheques have gone out, and by end of the month, all of them should have gone out,” confirmed Doug Lennox of Klein Lawyers. “Most people should have got them by now; there are still a few more in progress as they don’t all go out on the same day.”
The payment compensates Indigenous children for loss of cultural identities. Metis and non-status First Nations are excluded from the settlement.
Compensation Claims
Collectiva, the compensation claims administrator, received 34,785 applications by the application deadline. It has approved 20,495 claims and rejected 12,410.
There is a process for appealing a decision that goes to a reconsideration officer. Collectiva said 1,334 claims are currently being assessed.
A further 113 claims have the right to reconsideration and 433 require more information.
