Developments from 1998 to 2002

"As Moderator of The United Church of Canada, I wish to speak the words that many people have wanted to hear for a very long time. On behalf of The United Church of Canada, I apologize for the pain and suffering that our church's involvement in the Indian Residential School system has caused. We are aware of some of the damage that this cruel and ill-conceived system of assimilation has perpetrated on Canada's First Nations peoples. For this we are truly and most humbly sorry." ₁

"The Anglican Church's national executive council began four days of meetings...[in Fredricton, NB] attempting to balance hope for the church's future with the stark possibility of looming bankruptcy for the national structure.  An internal study indicates that legal costs from residential schools lawsuits will exhaust the resources of the General Synod, the church's national body, during 2001. Those costs have already totaled about $1.5 million in 1999 and legal fees to March 31, 2000 reached $112,000."

Archdeacon Jim Boyles, the church's General Secretary, reported:

	"Claims continue to arise. There are about 1,600 plaintiffs now involving the Anglican Church, out of the 7,000 involving the Government of Canada."
	"About 100 of the Anglican-related cases involve an abuser who has been convicted in criminal court..."

Archdeacon Boyles said the churches have been meeting with government figures to address an agreed goal of continuing the viability of the church organizations. A paper on the assets and structure of General Synod...has been approved by the church's finance committee and presented to government officials. ₂

"...resulting from abuse in the residential schools, there are over 1,600 claims of varying kinds brought against the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. About one hundred cases involve the proven abuse of children, and the perpetrators are in prison. The costs of litigation and settlements for these alone is sufficient to exhaust all the assets of the General Synod and of some dioceses involved." ₂

"...the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples endorsed a Plan of Anglican Work in Support of A New Partnership Between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Anglicans: 'A New Agape.'...As of mid-March, the General Synod had been named directly in cases involving 605 plaintiffs (the government has also be named in every one of these cases). The General Synod has been named by third party action by the government involving an additional 386 plaintiffs. There are also three potential class actions where 364 plaintiffs are identified, and there is potential for many more if the class actions are certified....the General Synod will run out of funds for litigation sometime this year if there is no agreement with the government that will stop this outflow."

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