CANADA
The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada
Toronto, December 10, 2004 -- An Ontario Court of Appeal decision to certify a class of plaintiffs in a lawsuit for abuse at a native residential school "does not change or threaten in any way" the agreement between the Anglican church and the federal government that caps the church's liability at $25 million, says Archdeacon Jim Boyles, General Secretary of the national church.
The decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal allowed lawsuits by former students at the Mohawk School in Brantford, Ont., to proceed as a class action. The former students are suing the Anglican diocese of Huron and the federal government.
In a letter sent to all Anglican bishops earlier this week, Mr. Boyles said that any future findings of liability against the church for the sexual or physical abuse of students at the schools would be shared between the church and the government under the terms of the 2003 agreement.
The agreement says that the church and government would share in the payment of any awards on a 30/70 per cent basis.
Posted by kshaw at December 10, 2004 09:19 AM