Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is concerning the Grollier Hall Residential School Settlement Agreement with the GNWT. In the opinion of some of the claimants, the GNWT has not honoured the educational component of our agreement. This has offended some of the members of the claimant group and has prevented them from making use of their educational component. Some view this as a re-victimizing of the survivors.

In the final meeting of the parties in the spring of 2002, promises were made to the claimants negotiating group that an educational fund provided to claimants would not require repayment. This condition was not in the final document presented to the claimant groups for signing. Rather, the standard of the GNWT education funding terms were included.

There were significant disagreements between the parties about the extra terms of the educational component of the agreement. The GNWT then undertook, prior to signing, to hold individual meetings to resolve issues with the individual claimants once their particular education requirements were determined. None of this has been resolved. In my opinion the GNWT unilaterally and in breach of the agreement made changes to the legislation and policies that did not reflect the Grollier Hall Residential School Settlement Agreement.

Since that time the GNWT has tried to force certain claimants to accept the GNWT’s unilateral interpretation of the changes. I’m very concerned about this matter and I’ll have some questions for the Minister at the appropriate time.