Liberal government should settle residential schools suit, says Ches Crosbie

A St. John's lawyer is calling on the incoming Liberal government to keep its promise to settle out of court with those who claim they were abused at Newfoundland and Labrador's residential schools.

More than 1,000 formerresidential school studentsin the province are part of a class action lawsuit against the federal government.

Claimants are taking to the witness stand again over the next two weeks to testify about their experiences.

"They have to expose some very personal and very difficult experiences that they've had, and to do so in open public, which is the first time that this has had to happen in the country in all of the residential school claims," said class action lawyerChesCrosbie.

"It's very difficult for the class members to do it, but there's no alternative."

Students from Newfoundland and Labrador residential schools were not included in the federal government's 2007 settlement and apology to residential school survivors in the rest of Canada.

Crosbiesaid that so far, the government has failed to do the right thing and settle this lawsuit out of court.

"We've never had an offer on the table from the federal government, a tender of settlement," he said.

"We're driving inexorably towards a judgment, unless the federal government decides they want to talk to us."

Liberals made pre-election promise

The Liberal government made a pre-election promise to deal with all of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, one of which is litigation.

Crosbiesaid he is hopeful that the government will follow through on itsword.

Before he was elected as an MP,Liberal candidateSeamus O'Regan said he would personally fight for a settlement with Labrador residential school victims.

In an emailed statement,Liberal MP-elect Judy Foote said the government will work collaboratively with people who were not included in the 2007 settlement.

Crosbiesaid he has heard that Foote could be considered for aboriginal affairs minister, which he hopes could mean a faster settlement.