(February 10, 2025 – Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ottawa) — National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, along with compensation administrator Deloitte, have announced a national Get Ready campaign to help eligible First Nations individuals prepare to apply for their share of a $23 billion federal settlement package acknowledging discriminatory practices in the First Nations child services program and narrow application of Jordan’s Principle.
Starting March 10, 2025, eligible claimants for the Removed Child and Removed Child Family classes will be able to submit their application forms to the administrator. Those who can apply beginning March 10 include First Nations individuals who were removed from their homes as Children between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2022, while living on reserve or in the Yukon and placed into care funded by Indigenous Services Canada, as well as their Caregiving Parents or Caregiving Grandparents.
“While no amount of money can make up for the harms done by Canada’s racist child welfare system, March 10 will be historic turning point to address these past wrongs,” said National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak. “The $23 billion compensation settlement is an important recognition of the heroic representative plaintiffs and everyone who took part in the long process of negotiations that brought us to this point.”
Among other things, the Get Ready campaign will:
- Ensure First Nations claimants know they will not need to pay anyone to help them submit a claim or help them receive a payment
- Support a national network of claims helpers to ensure claimants do not have to go through this process alone
- Include resources to support claim submissions, health, wellness and fraud reporting
- Feature public service announcements in First Nations and other media
“While we welcome this progress for the first two classes of claimants, we also are working hard to secure Federal Court approval of a similar process for First Nations in the seven other claim categories,” added National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak. Nine classes are included in the settlement agreement, and each of the nine classes is unique with its own claims process that requires approval by the Federal Court. The claims periods for each class will open in phases. For more information on all classes under the settlement, visit www.fnchildclaims.ca.
On behalf of the AFN, the National Chief recognized the leadership of Chief Derek Nepinak, members of the settlement implementation committee and Deloitte for being good partners in bringing this claims process together.
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The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern.
For more information, please contact:
Cherish Francis
Press Secretary
National Chief’s Office
(343) 630-1372 (mobile)
[email protected]
Genna Benson
Director of Communications
Assembly of First Nations
[email protected]
604-340-3117 (mobile)