Île-à-la-Crosse School Survivors and Canada sign Agreement-in-Principle

Press Release

From: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

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March, 4, 2025 — Ottawa, Ontario — Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, is joined by proposed representative plaintiffs Louis Gardiner, Margaret Aubichon, Melvina Aubichon, Emile Janvier, Duane Favel, Donna Janvier, and David Chartier to announce that an Agreement-in-Principle has been reached in the class actions concerning Île-à-la-Crosse School.

For several years, the Government of Canada and counsel for the plaintiffs have been engaged in discussions to resolve the litigation in a fair, compassionate, and respectful manner.

The signing of the Agreement-in-Principle marks a significant milestone for Survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse School who suffered cultural loss abuse at the school from January 1, 1860 to December 31, 1976.

The Agreement-in-Principle outlines individual compensation for having attended the former Île-à-la-Crosse School, as well as forward-looking investments to support commemoration, healing, language, and culture.

Canada and counsel for the plaintiffs will continue working toward a final settlement agreement in order to seek approval from the Saskatchewan Court of the King’s Bench. This process will unfold in the coming months and more information will be forthcoming.

Quotes

“It has been a long wait for Île-à-la-Crosse Survivors for recognition of the pain of our school experiences. While this is just one step on the path toward healing, I am relieved that this agreement with Canada will help lead to some closure for us.”

Louis Gardiner
Proposed Representative Plaintiff

“Our time at the Île-à-la-Crosse School was very hard, as children taken away from our families. As a Survivor, I still have scars, both emotional and physical, due to what I went through. I’m proud to have stood up for my people to help achieve this agreement, and hope that this puts us in a good way for the future.”

Margaret Aubichon
Proposed Representative Plaintiff

“The legacy of the Île-à-la-Crosse School has been devastating for Survivors and our communities. I commend the Government of Canada for finally providing recognition of the harms we endured, and thank our legal team (Margaret Waddell at Sotos LLP and Tina Yang at Goldblatt Partners LLP) for speaking up for us.”

Melvina Aubichon
Proposed Representative Plaintiff

“I reflect on the decision to settle the Île-à-la-Crosse School class action against Canada with mixed emotions, knowing that it will bring some closure to this lengthy process, but that additional challenges remain. I hope this agreement can be a meaningful part of our long-awaited healing journey for all Survivors.”

Duane Favel
Proposed Representative Plaintiff

“It has been a long road to get to where we are today and we are proud of the committee and the work they have done with our Metis Nation-Saskatchewan government to reach a settlement for the Survivors. Since the first pivotal meeting between our MN-S government and the Survivors committee in 2018, committee members, MN-S elected officials, legal counsel and employees have all worked tirelessly in the best interest of the Survivors. We would also like to recognize all of those that came before us and worked on this file over the years as well as the many Survivors that we have lost while they awaited justice. We remember them and their resilience today.”

President Glen McCallum
Métis Nation–Saskatchewan

“I am pleased that we have come to agreement to address Canada’s responsibility towards the Survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse School. It has taken the Survivors far too long to receive justice for the abuses and loss of culture at this institution. This Agreement-in-Principle sets a solid foundation for Canada and Survivors to rebuild our relationship, so that we can stand together in the spirit of reconciliation.”

The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

Quick facts

• Île-à-la-Crosse School operated from the 1860s until the 1970s. The students attending this school were drawn primarily from Métis communities in northern Saskatchewan.
• The Île-à-la-Crosse School was not an eligible institution under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Canada’s role at the School was limited to providing funding for the small number of First Nations students who attended. The Province of Saskatchewan and a Catholic Oblate order also had roles at the School.
• In 2005, a first class action seeking redress for harms suffered at Île-à-la-Crosse School was brought (Chartier, formerly Aubichon). A second class action (Maurice) was brought and discontinued in 2016, and a third class action was brought in 2022 (Gardiner). Generally, these class actions sought redress for harms suffered at Île-à-la-Crosse School.
• In 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Canada and a group representing the plaintiffs, to work together to address the legacy of Île-à-la-Crosse School.

Contacts
For more information, media may contact:

Class Counsel for Representative Plaintiffs Louis Gardiner, Margaret Aubichon, Melvina Aubichon, Emile Janvier, Duane Favel, and Donna Janvier
Sotos LLP
Margaret Waddell, Q. Arb.
Phone: 416-977-2413
Email: mwaddell@sotos.ca
www.sotosclassactions.com

Goldblatt Partners LLP
Tina Q. Yang
Phone: 647-381-8500
Email: tyang@goldblattpartners.com
www.goldblattpartners.com

Class Counsel for Representative Plaintiff David Chartier
Merchant Law Group LLP
Tony Merchant, K.C.
Phone: 306-791-2191
Email: ilex@merchantlaw.com
www.merchantlaw.com

Gregory Frame
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
gregory.frame@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Media Relations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@sac-isc.gc.ca

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