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By Lee Carter in Toronto
Several leading Canadian churches, including the Roman
Catholic and Anglican churches, are demanding that the
Canadian Government help them financially as they face
thousands of legal claims being made against them.
The claims stem from allegations of sexual and physical
abuse being made by former students of native Indian schools
operated by Canadian
Churches between the 1930s and 1970s.
The churches say they face bankruptcy. But critics say that
any government cash bail-out for the churches would be
tantamount to forgiving them for their past wrongs.
Canada's Justice Minister, Anne McLellan, acknowledges: "It
is quite clear that some very terrible things
happened."
She says there is no doubt that many native Indian children
were abused over decades as they were forced into so-called
residential schools in an attempt to assimilate them into
Anglo-Saxon Christian values.
They related accounts of beatings, electrocutions, rape and
harsh routine punishments for any expressions of native
Indian culture.
The Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Churches have
acknowledged the abuse but now thousands of lawsuits are
draining the churches of funds.
Over the past week the churches have argued that the schools
were part of the Canadian Government's overall policy at the
time, so they say it should pay some of the costs.
Ms McLellan says there must be a way to recognise and
compensate the victims but without going through thousands
of costly and time-consuming cases.
"If there are ways we can do that outside the formal court
process, then we are most interested in sitting down and
talking about that."
'Unacceptable'
The justice minister so far has made no direct commitment to
the churches.
The justice spokesman for the opposition New Democratic
Party, Peter Mancini, says that is how it should be. He says
that financially helping the churches would set an
unacceptable precedent.
"It sends a message that the government is going to bail out
the churches and that's not what this is about.
"It's wrong for the government simply to write a cheque to
the churches and say 'here, we're going to help you pay your
bills on this'."
Lawyers for former students say political lobbying will not
deter them from seeking compensation. Russ Rakes represents
around 1,000 claimants.
He says: "Is the fact that they are crying poverty going to
stop us from taking this case to trial? No."
Mr Rakes says the former students are not trying to bankrupt
the churches; they just want compensation and recognition
for the suffering they endured over several
generations.
sent in by Frank
from the BBC
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