By CHAT News Today

Province seeking feedback for Sixties Scoop apology

Jan 4, 2018 | 3:53 PM

EDMONTON — The Alberta government is crafting an official apology to victims of the Sixties Scoop, and is seeking feedback from the province as it shapes the apology.

The government, along with the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Alberta, will hold engagement sessions in six locations around the province from January to March. The government is inviting survivors of the scoop to attend the sessions, but notes the sessions are open to the public.

The sessions will focus on learning from survivors about the Sixties Scoop, which refers to a period of time in Canada starting in the 1960s when an unknown number of Indigenous children were taken from their parents, families and communities by child intervention services and placed with mostly non-Indigenous families. As a result, many lost touch with their families, communities, culture and traditional language.

“Healing can only begin when we truly understand this heartbreaking historical injustice,” said Danielle Larivee, Minister of Children’s Services, in a news release.

“That’s why we need to listen to survivors and families about what a meaningful apology should look like. These sessions are an important opportunity to learn from survivors about how the Sixties Scoop has impacted Indigenous communities and inform the actions we will take moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation.”

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“We need survivors and their families to be involved in this process for us to better understand how the Sixties Scoop affected their lives, how an apology could unfold and how to give it real meaning and depth,” added Richard Feehan, Minister of Indigenous Relations, in a news release.

In October, the federal government announced it would be paying $750 million to survivors of the Sixties Scoop, with each claimant receiving $25,000 and $50,000.

The Province of Manitoba apologized for the scoop in 2015. Saskatchewan committed to the apology in 2015, but it has not yet happened.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has said he is ready to apologize at any time or place chosen by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations that represents First Nations in the province. But he doesn’t agree with the federation’s request for provincial compensation.

The sessions are scheduled for Jan. 18 in Peace River, Feb. 1 in St. Paul, Feb. 7 in Fort McMurray, Feb. 14 in Lethbridge, Feb. 21 in Calgary and March 1 in Edmonton. All sessions run from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with cultural ceremonies at 7:30 a.m.

Those who cannot attend in person are welcome to submit input online. More information about the sessions can be found here.