Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

Ottawa sets up office for Indian school claims

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Jean Chretien has created a special office to help resolve Indian residential school claims.

The Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution will report to Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray, who has been leading the federal government's talks with the churches that operated the schools.

"The creation of the office, which will report directly to the deputy prime minister, demonstrates the government's commitment to achieving a fair and equitable resolution of long-standing cases of abuse in Indian residential schools," said the government in a news release June 7.

"Using existing resources, the office will centralize and focus federal efforts and coordinate negotiations between the Government of Canada and major Church organizations concerning their shared responsibility for these claims."

As well, the release said, the office will examine how to resolve claims in or outside of the court system and implement the government's "wider objectives of healing and reconciliation with residential schools' survivors and their communities."

Jack Stagg, associate deputy minister of fisheries and oceans, will be deputy head of the office and the chief federal negotiator working with the churches.

The creation of the new office comes almost nine months after Gray opened a dialogue with the churches over mounting residential school claims.

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