Victims of the 60s scoop hailing from Ontario are celebrating today as a provincial justice ruled in favour of the victims in a class action lawsuit filed against the federal government.
Some victims have argued this amounted to ‘cultural genocide’ and damaged them spiritually by taking away their cultural identity.
The victory comes after eight attempts by government to have it thrown out.
In his ruling, Justice Edward P. Belobaba found the federal government breached its common law duty of care to “prevent on-reserve Indian children in Ontario who were placed in the care of non-aboriginal foster or adoptive parents from losing their aboriginal identity.”
In Saskatchewan, a pair of potential class-action lawsuits will head to a hearing on March 3. Legally, only one of the two suits can go forward. Whichever succeeds during the March 3 hearing will be allowed to seek certification as a class action suit.
When contacted by the Herald, legal representatives from each firm had very different takes on potential impacts from the Ontario ruling.
For more on this story, please see the Feb. 15 print or e-edition of the Daily Herald.
