wfn.org | United Church of Canada Welcomes Residential Schools Agreement

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

For Immediate Release					Wednesday,
November 23, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
ON THE IACOBUCCI AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE

Toronto: In response to today's government announcement regarding an
Agreement in Principle toward a fair and lasting resolution of the
legacy of Indian Residential Schools, The United Church of Canada has
released the following statement:

The United Church of Canada welcomes the Agreement in Principle on a
comprehensive resolution package for former students of Indian
Residential Schools announced this morning by the Government of Canada
and the Assembly of First Nations.

The agreement is the result of a negotiation process launched under the
Political Accord of May 30, which appointed the Hon. Frank Iacobucci as
the federal negotiator and mandated him to recommend a lasting and fair
resolution package. The negotiations included the federal government,
the Assembly of First Nations and other Aboriginal organizations, the
churches, and legal counsel for former students.

The United Church is pleased that the resolution package not only
addresses the issues of compensation to former students for the common
experience of attending the schools and compensation for individual
abuses, but also provides resources for healing programs, a truth and
reconciliation process, and commemoration. The United Church is
committed to fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.

"We welcome this comprehensive resolution package as the foundation upon
which we can continue to work toward re-establishing right relations
between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada," says the Rev.
James Scott, General Council Officer, Residential Schools Steering
Committee.

For further information, or to arrange media interviews, please contact:
Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)

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