Indian Residential Schools Class Action

Indian Residential Schools Class Action – Compensation Settlement Information

Tony Merchant, Q.C. and Merchant Law Group LLP are very proud of the work on behalf of First Nations People and our law firm’s long history of working for Aboriginal Canadians. Our firm represented approximately half of all known individuals in Canada pursuing class action lawsuits against the Federal Government for Residential School compensation.

In 2005, Merchant Law Group LLP was pleased to announce a successful Judgment from the Supreme Court of Canada on behalf of our client (H.L. v. A.-G.), who successfully sued the Federal Government for abuse he suffered while attending Residential School as a child.  The Supreme Court largely upheld a Trial award in Mr. L.’s favour of more than $300,000.00 for the abuse he suffered while at Residential School and its impact on his life.  The damages awarded to Mr. L. are the highest court awarded compensation to a Residential School survivor in Canadian history. The landmark decision of H.L. was a triumph for Aboriginal Rights in Canada.

Our firm and other groups negotiated a National Settlement with the Canadian Government in November, 2005, which provided $1.9 Billion in compensation for Common Experience Payments.  We estimate an added $3 Billion in additional IAP compensation paid to Survivors who suffered sexual and serious physical abuse (which will be paid out over the next several years based on individual assessments).

The deadline to start a claim for IAP compensation has expired, but if you have an existing IAP claim that you are handling on your own or with the help of another law firm, you are free to transfer handling of your IAP claim to one of Merchant Law Group LLP lawyers.