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(Reuters) -
Canada announced on Tuesday two agreements totaling $ 31.5 billion (C $ 40 billion) to compensate First Nations children who were separated from their families and admitted to the child welfare system, and to reform the system that took them away and deprived them of the services they needed.
The settlements include US $ 15.7 billion (C $ 20 billion) for the hundreds of thousands of First Nations children who were separated from their families, did not receive services, or suffered delays in receiving services.
Another US $ 15.7 billion will be used to reform the system over the next five years.
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The agreements come nearly 15 years after the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society filed a human rights complaint.
The Canadian Human Rights Court repeatedly found that child and family services discriminated against First Nations children, in part due to underfunding of services on reservations.
Children were taken from their homes and taken from the reserves to receive these services.
Canada admitted that its systems were discriminatory, but repeatedly opposed orders to pay compensation and finance reforms, including an appeal it filed last year.
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In addition, Canada is also fighting a class action lawsuit on behalf of First Nations children that the compensation agreement seeks to resolve.
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Justice Minister David Lametti said Tuesday that the government will abandon its resources once the deals are finalized in the coming months.
The reform agreement includes US $ 1,966.50 (C $ 2,500) in preventive care per child and provisions for children in orphanages to receive assistance beyond the age of 18.
Funding for reform and preventive services should start to flow in April, but may not address the deeper issues facing the First Nations community, said Cindy Blackstock, executive director of First Nations Child. and Family Caring Society.
"I see it as words on paper," he told Reuters.
"I judge victory when I can enter a community and a child is able to say to me, 'My life is better than yesterday.' None of these words really change children's lives until it is put into practice."
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Attorney David Sterns, who represents harmed First Nations children and families, said during a press conference that this would be the largest class action settlement in Canadian history.
"The enormity of this agreement is due to one reason and one reason only. And it is the enormous scope of the damage inflicted on the members of the group," he said.
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu pledged to end discrimination against First Nations children, who are overrepresented in orphan centers in Canada, at the press conference.
"Canada's decision and actions hurt First Nations children, families and communities," he said.
"Discrimination caused intergenerational damages and losses. Those losses are not reversible. But I believe that redress is possible."
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