Day School Survivors will have a say in how the Day Schools Legacy Fund is managed

$200-million Legacy Fund preserved, growing and Board seeking input from Survivors and their families

OTTAWA — The Board of Directors of McLean Day Schools Settlement Corporation (MDSSC) is pleased to announce an update on its plans to launch an extensive outreach campaign that will involve engaging in dialogue with Day School Survivors, their families and key stakeholders. The historic settlement of the Indian Day Schools class action included the creation of MDSSC, which was endowed with a Legacy Fund of $200 million.

Since the fall of 2019, the Board has been hard at work developing fundamental parameters and exploring ideas and options for the administration of the Legacy Fund. The early steps in MDSSC’s organizational setup work included tendering for services, receipt of RFP responses and selection of service providers in critical operational areas, including banking and financial services support, audit, insurance, and executive recruitment.

Taking these steps was essential to ensure that MDSSC was in a position to receive the settlement funds from Canada earlier this year, and for the future establishment and administration of the Legacy Fund. Each of these areas began from a “standing start” and are at various stages of progress. A significant amount of work has been accomplished in a very short period of time.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting major disruptions, swift steps were taken by MDSSC to alter some of the financial arrangements with the Legacy Fund in order to ensure its preservation and growth. This, in turn, permitted the Board to continue its work. The Legacy Fund continues to be preserved at its full capital amount of $200 million and the Board has taken steps to grow the Fund with a short-term investment strategy.

In spite of the additional challenges presented by COVID-19, the Board has developed an Outreach and Engagement Plan designed to obtain information and opinions from Survivors, their families and key stakeholders regarding the operation and administration of the Legacy Fund. The Board views this step as critical in MDSSC establishing a Legacy Fund framework that is responsive to the input and needs of Survivors and their families. The Outreach and Engagement Plan is comprised of a communications and promotional plan designed to raise awareness and drive broad participation in the process, placing the focus on Survivors and their families.

MDSSC is currently preparing to hold a series of online town hall meetings. The first session will be a webinar designed to introduce the current management team, provide an overview of the work completed to date and lay out the general path ahead. MDSSC will then hold regular online town hall meetings on a regional basis. Accordingly, MDSSC will be in a position to collaborate with Survivors and their families in building a process that will enable them to walk along this path together. Details will be communicated as soon as arrangements are finalized.

In the meantime, MDSSC’s plans continue to move forward. The Board wants to ensure that cultural, spiritual and linguistic support is readily available during the outreach process as this is a critical element in the chosen approach. Every aspect of the Outreach and Engagement Plan has been developed with the exclusive purpose of soliciting the input the Board feels is necessary to establish a responsive Legacy Fund for Survivors and their families.

The Board is currently in the process of recruiting a Media and Public Relations representative to provide communications support for MDSSC. Those contact details will be shared in a follow-up announcement.

If you have any questions regarding the Day Schools Legacy Fund, please send an email to info@mcleandayschoolssettlementcorporation.ca.

About the McLean Day Schools Settlement Corporation and Garry McLean

In 2009, the late Garry McLean started a legal action regarding the forced attendance of Indigenous students at Indian Day Schools across Canada. Garry was a member of the Lake Manitoba First Nation and served as the lead plaintiff in this case since its inception. Garry was a fierce advocate, who worked tirelessly on the behalf of Indian Day School Survivors and their families. Although Garry passed away just weeks before the Day School Settlement Agreement and the establishment of MDSSC, there is no question that the settlement, which bears his name, is infused with his spirit.