Today, the Federal Court of Canada approved the First Nations Child and Family Services, Jordan's Principle, Trout and Kith Class Settlement Agreement, with reasons to follow. The agreement was reached between the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Moushoom and Trout class actions plaintiffs and Canada, with the support of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
This First Nations-led agreement includes a total of $23.34 billion to compensate First Nations children and families who were harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) program and those impacted by the federal government's narrow definition of Jordan's Principle.
This is a very important milestone in the process towards compensating First Nations children and families for the harms they suffered. This agreement could not have been reached without the hard work of the Parties and First Nations leadership, who never wavered in their dedication and determination that First Nations children and families receive compensation.
If the approval of the agreement is not appealed within the 60-day appeal period following the issuance of the Federal Court's order on the settlement, the process to implement the settlement through the court ordered third-party administrator could begin later in 2024.
The Hope for Wellness Help Line, which provides immediate, toll-free telephone and online-chat-based support and crisis intervention to all Indigenous Peoples in Canada, is always available. This service is available 24/7 in English and French, and upon request in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut. Counsellors are available by phone at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
