CANADA
Anglican Journal
SOLANGE DE SANTIS
STAFF WRITER
The number of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) hearings concerning former students of the Indian residential school system is increasing and the Anglican Church of Canada’s national office is canvassing bishops about a particularly sticky issue that would involve releasing the church from only part of its potential liability.
“The ADR process has sped up in the past few months. They are holding more hearings and processing more claims. And we are being notified of more hearings and asked to send a representative,” said Ellie Johnson, the church’s acting general secretary, in an interview. (When a hearing involves a residential school that was operated by the Anglican church, the plaintiff has the right to request that a church representative be present.)
As of July 25, 2005, the total number of applications received in the ADR process were 1,992, according to the federal government. As of August 30, said Ms. Johnson, about 60 cases concerning Anglican-run schools have been settled, another 50 have ended the hearing process and are awaiting the adjudicator’s report and 35 more ADR hearings are scheduled. In addition, 200 cases that were originally filed in civil courts have been settled before they came to trial. As of the middle of this year, the church had paid out $5.6 million to successful claimants, both in