Update On Stirland Lake And Cristal Lake Residential High School Motion To Be Added To The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA)

Update on Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake Residential High School Motion to be Added to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) For the information of all those who attended at either Stirland Lake (Wahbon Bay Academy) and/or Cristal Lake residential high schools, and who are interested in knowing the status of NAN and Windigo First Nations Council’s request to the court to add these schools to the list of Indian residential schools so as to qualify for compensation under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (Common Experience Payment and, where appropriate, the Independent Assessment Process), and as the lawyers representing NAN and Windigo in this matter, we are pleased to report as follows. The Court has set the following schedule for the remaining final steps: 1. Written Submissions and a Compendium of Documents were served on July 21st, 2010 and filed with the Court on behalf of Windigo and NAN. The detailed written argument supports our claim that Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake are “Indian Residential Schools” within the meaning of Article 12 of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The Court has ordered that the hearing will be conducted in writing, with no oral component (ie: no court appearance) as is consistent with the current protocol for IRSS Agreement matters. 2. Canada served and filed its responding written submissions on August 20th, 2010; 3. Our written reply argument from Windigo and NAN is to be served and filed by on or about August 30th, 2010; 4. Intervenor submissions, if any, must be served and filed by September 7th, 2010. The court has apparently received notification from 3 or 4 possible parties. The Court Monitor is following up with those parties to see if they are actually going to seek leave to intervene in the motion brought on behalf of Windigo and NAN. We will be advised. 5. Windigo, NAN and Canada then have a right to reply to any intervenor submissions by September 17th, 2010. This means that a determination will then be made as to whether we are going to support, or oppose, any such applications. 6. Thereafter, Chief Justice Winkler will review the written arguments, the evidence, and then issue a ruling which will determine whether Stirland Lake and Cristal Lake are “Indian Residential Schools” within the meaning of Article 12 of the IRSSA. If you have not already contacted us, and/or have questions, please contact us at 1-800-462-3864 (toll free).