CANADA
The Catholic Register
BY MICHAEL SWAN, THE CATHOLIC REGISTER
January 6, 2016
A $21-million shortfall in Catholic fundraising has added another challenge to the task of reconciliation between Canadian churches and Native communities.
As the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission landed in Ottawa last month, accountants have been dealing with the failure of the “Moving Forward Together” campaign.
Catholic agencies, which ran more than 60 per cent of the federal government-mandated residential schools, were expected to raise $25 million as one part of the final settlement between aboriginal communities, churches and the government to cover the damage done by the schools to generations of young indigenous Canadians. But the “best-efforts” campaign raised just $3.7 million.
The four national churches which were party to the agreement have been sorting out final payments into the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. As a result of the Catholic fundraising campaign falling more than 80 per cent short of its goal, a reimbursement has been made to the Anglican Church of Canada in addition to some other adjustments.
As the largest operator of residential schools, the Catholics made the largest funding commitment to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation – $79 million.
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