Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow is the deadline to apply for the $3,000 IRS personal credit, as mentioned by my colleague Mr. Nadli. For background, IRS refers to the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement.
Under the agreement, the common experience payment was the primary form of compensation. The common experience payment process ended two years ago. Now $40 million remains in the pot of money. So in January 2014, the federal government announced an extension, offering the one-time personal credit for anyone who already qualified for a common experience payment. Throughout Canada there are 80,000 eligible individuals and as of today only 10,000 have applied.
According to Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus, there is also a lot of confusion and mistrust because the application process is so stringent. There’s also confusion about how these personal credits can be used. The credits can be used for a range of educational activities; for example, programs at university, college or trade schools. The money can also be approved and put toward any activity that promotes knowledge of our history, languages, artistic activities, or that build skills in the areas of hunting, trapping and fishing. Credits can also be transferred to family members.
The process hasn’t been clearly explained. It has too many hoops and hurdles. Unless the deadline is extended, many eligible former students in the Northwest Territories will not receive their $3,000 credit to which they are entitled.
Along with Chief Erasmus, I am calling on this government to request that the federal government extend the October 31st deadline.
