First Nations Youth Class Action – Response Statement

In the class action matter of Xavier Moushoom and Jeremy Meawasige v. The Attorney General of Canada, Sotos LLP, Kugler Kandestin, LLP, and Miller Titerlie + Company (“Class Counsel”), release the following statement in response to the statement released on November 25^th by the Minister of Indigenous Services and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General:

Class Counsel filed a class action in Federal Court on behalf of tens of thousands of First Nations children and their families who suffered damages as a result of the Government’s systemic discrimination in the funding of child welfare services since 1991, as well as the Government’s failure to respect Jordan’s Principle.

Class Counsel is pleased that the Government recognizes that this class action must be certified. Certification of the class action will allow us to advance this most important matter towards a trial as expeditiously as possible, in the best interests of the tens of thousands of class members.

Class Counsel is also pleased that the Government has stated its commitment to working with us to achieve a global resolution; however words are no longer enough. It is now time for the Government to match its words with meaningful action.

Class Counsel shares a common objective with the complainants in the matter before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to recover long overdue compensation for harm suffered by First Nations youth and their families. We expect the Government to immediately back up its commitment to work towards a resolution with concrete measures.