Beyond the $875M settlement: '60s Scoop survivors seek to reclaim families, identities

For some survivors of the Sixties Scoop, working to spread news of an approved settlement and connecting others with that knowledge is a wayof reclaiming themselves, along withtheirhistory and culture.

"We just need advocates in Regina, more people that care from their hearts, not from their pockets," said Kerry Bellegarde, who considers herself an advocate for fellow survivors.

Bellegarde was one of about 50 people in Regina on Saturdayattending a session held to answer questions about the Sixties Scoop settlement.

The $875 million settlement was approved by both the Ontario Superior Court and the Federal Court on Aug. 9, butdebate still continues over legal fees in the class action.

• Judges, lawyers at odds over deal to pay $75M in '60s Scoop legal fees

Bellegarde said while she knows about details of the settlement and who qualifies, she wants to help others understand if and how they want to submit a claim, along withanything else they need to learnin order to move on.

Meeting her mother

For Bellegarde, her healing beganwhen she met her mother at the age of 16with the help of her adopted father.

"My quest and my thirst to meet my roots, to be with my roots, was so strong as a youth, that he had brought me right to Regina," she said.

She remembers how eager and welcoming her mother was.

"We stared at each other: we were smiling so hard at each other. It was so awesome," she said, recalling herthoughts at the time'That's where I came from.'

Now, she saysmemories of her mother, who passed away in 2010, drives her dedication tosupport fellow survivors of trauma.

"I just want them to know that we can all be healthy and together," she said. "It's not just for me, it's for everybody."

Survivors may not know they qualify

Melissa Parkyn isco-chair of the the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Saskatchewan, which hosted the meetingsin Regina and Saskatoonwith support from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

She's heard from several people who don't know if they qualify to receive money from the settlement, which is estimated torange from $25,000 to $50,000 per individual.

"There's folks out there that don't know that they're Sixties Scoop survivors," she said, explaining the class action coveredregistered Indian and Inuit children who were taken from their homes and placed with non-Indigenous parentsbetween 1951 and 1991.

She's been pointing people to a websitethat offers information on who qualifies andhow to submit claims, as well asdetails of how and when the settlement will be distributed.

One day at a time

Parkyn saidshe's met a lot of peopleover the past year who are still in a lot of pain over what they've lost.

"There's still others out there that don't know who they are," she said. "It's really emotional and hard."

For her, she says she's doing better, taking her journey to recovery one day at a time.

"I feel comfortable where I can speak about it, because I know where I'm from and I met my family. I can support that."

Bellegarde, too, knows what it meansto find her roots and heal, something that goes beyond receiving a settlement, but also involves connecting with one's identity, culture and community.

"I want to teach people there is another world," she said.

"There's more than one way to get through this."