Federal Indian Day School Settlement
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): A Further Inquiry
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/05/21
Cam Cameron, Class Counsel Lead for the Federal Indian Day School Settlement, explains that many claimants have not received correspondence due to outdated contact details or incomplete claims. Claimants should contact the Administrator at 1-888-221-2898 to verify status or provide missing documents. Extensive outreach—via mail, phone, advertising, and community engagement—continues until the June 27, 2025, deadline. Estate representatives face challenges due to missing legal documentation. While Class Counsel aids in appeals and form completion, they do not assist with probate. Outreach has targeted rural and non-English-speaking communities using multilingual materials to ensure fairness and inclusion in the settlement process.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What are common reasons claimants have not received correspondence from the Administrator?
Cam Cameron: The most common reason is outdated contact information. Many claimants have moved, changed phone numbers, or no longer check the email address they used when they first submitted their claim. In some cases, correspondence has been returned as undeliverable. If a claimant does not respond to follow-up requests for missing information, their file remains incomplete and unprocessed.
Jacobsen: What is the appropriate means by which to proceed if they’re uncertain about claim status?
Cameron: Claimants or their representatives should contact the Claims Administrator at 1-888-221-2898 right away. They can check on the status of a claim and identify any missing documentation. If the claimant is deceased, an estate representative must call to ensure the file is appropriately updated and supported.
Jacobsen: Given 15,726 claims are unprocessed, what systems can help efficiently notify and assist claimants before June 27?
Cameron: The Administrator, Castlemain and Class Counsel have conducted extensive outreach—including mail and phone to reach Claimants directly and national paid advertising (including radio, social media, in-community advertising and direct community outreach). This outreach has been ongoing over the past two years and will continue until the June 27 deadline.
Jacobsen: There is an absence of critical information: school name, attendance years, or a valid representative. These may impact eligibility or compensation levels. Is there any flexibility in the process?
Cameron: Members have had more than 2 years since the January 13, 2023 deadline to submit missing information and complete their Claims. For Claimants with representatives, the deadline to provide required representative documentation is the later of: (a) 2 years from date of death or incapacity (provided that the date of death or incapacity occurred on or before June 27, 2025), or (b) June 27, 2025.
Jacobsen: What challenges are estate representatives facing?
Cameron: Many estates have failed to provide valid legal documents showing that they were appointed as representatives (such as death certificates, wills, probate, POAs, etc.). Without this proof, the Administrator cannot process the claim or issue payment. Class Counsel does not assist with probate or estate matters, which must be handled independently.
Jacobsen: How is the Administrator ensuring fairness for deceased claimants’ families?
Cameron: Once a valid estate representative is appointed and supporting documents are submitted, the claim proceeds as it would for any living claimant under the terms of the Settlement Agreement.
Jacobsen: How has legal aid through Class Counsel been effective in helping claimants resolve issues?
Cameron: Class Counsel provides support by answering questions, helping claimants complete forms, and assisting in cases where a level decision is appealed or reconsidered.
Jacobsen: How is the effort to reach claimants in rural, remote, or non-English-speaking Indigenous communities working so far?
Cameron: During the claims period, outreach included radio broadcasts, community newspapers, and targeted social media. The focus included a national approach with specific targeting of areas (by postal code) with higher levels of missing information or incomplete claims. Materials and services were provided in English, French, Cree, Dene, Mi’kmaq, Ojibwe and Inuktitut as appropriate during the claims period.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Cam.
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