Post by : Meena
Hassan
Emotions ran high in a Halifax courtroom on Friday when a Supreme Court judge approved a significant settlement linked to a class action lawsuit concerning abuse at two schools for deaf children.
Justice Peter Rosinski of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court granted $36 million in compensation to former attendees of the Halifax School for the Deaf and the Interprovincial School for the Education of the Deaf in Amherst, operational from 1913 until 1995.
This lawsuit, initiated in 2015, followed alarming accounts from ex-students regarding physical, sexual, and emotional mistreatment. Both the Attorney General of Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority faced claims of negligence for failing to safeguard these students.
Representative plaintiff Michael Perrier expressed a sense of relief upon approval, stating, “We’ve finally gotten our answer. We got the approval. This is what we’ve been waiting for.”
Another representative, Richard Martell, voiced that recognizing the abuse would facilitate healing for many former students. “It’s been an emotional day and I just feel so relieved. Now it’s our time to move on,” he remarked.
The settlement consists of $36 million for the claimants, $3 million for collective initiatives like educational programs and interpretation services, and $2.5 million allocated for managing the settlement process.
Perrier noted that the compensation would significantly assist those who faced educational interruptions and lifelong obstacles. “We lost a lot through our childhood. Many deaf individuals hold entry-level positions when they could have achieved so much more,” he explained.
Ray Wagner from Wagners Law Firm, which spearheaded the lawsuit, termed the settlement as “monumental” and remarked that it may be the largest class action payout in the history of Nova Scotia. Approximately 900 individuals are set to receive compensation.
A public apology from the province and the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority will be issued in due time.
English
