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Personal Credits - Overview

WEBINAR – Part 1 January 14, 2015

Personal Credits for Personal or Group Education Services

Roles and Responsibilities Assembly of First Nations (AFN) This is not the AFN’s process AFN provides four regional Liaison Staff to assist CEP Recipients

and community organizations to understand the process and how to fill out the forms (call toll-free at 1-866-869-6789) – Sharon Slippery – BC – Curtis Mallett – SK, MB – Larry Whiteduck – ON, QC, Atlantic – Shannon Payne – AB, YT, NT

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) is the Trustee for the Personal Credits They are responsible for the Terms & Conditions and payments

Crawford Class Action Services is the Administrator for the Personal Credits, as an Agent of the Trustee They are responsible for administering the forms

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How to Access Your Acknowledgment Form: By Phone: 1-866-343-1858 By Email: IRSPersonalCredits@crawco.ca By Fax: 1-888-842-1332 Please provide: Name Birthdate Address Phone Number

INTRO Concerns with Process

– Have been raised repeatedly with AANDC – Have been discussed by Chiefs in Assembly, AGA

2014 – Steps being taken to address this

Structure of Webinar – Part 1: Overview – Part 2: Acknowledgement Form – filling out the

form – Part 3: Redemption Form – Group Education

Services (Culture) – Part 4: Redemption Form – Education Entities

(Education and Training)

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WHAT IS THE IRSSA? (Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement)

Largest class action in Canada’s history Implementation in September 2007

Various measures to address the legacy of IRS: Common Experience Payment (CEP)

– 1.9 billion dollars available – Over 80,000 eligible IRS students

Independent Assessment Process (IAP) Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Commemoration Fund Healing Support such as Resolution Health Support

Worker (RHSW) Program and Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF)

139 IRSSA-recognized schools across Canada

WHAT ARE PERSONAL CREDITS? Surplus from IRSSA initiated Personal Credits (terms state over 40 mil)

If you received CEP, you are eligible for Personal Credits $3,000 maximum redemption No cash value

Redeemable for PERSONAL or GROUP education purposes by approved organizations CEP Recipient – personal use Transferrable to certain family members Can be pooled with other Personal Credits

Crawford Class Action Services is the court-appointed administrator

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WHERE CAN I USE PERSONAL CREDITS? Can be used for a variety of educational and/or cultural purposes and can be redeemed at approved institutions:

Education Entity: formal education that includes both mainstream and cultural programming within formal educational institutions.

Group Education Service: projects related to the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of native history, cultures or languages

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Questions: What if I didn’t get my form? The forms are personalized. You must use your own form. You must provide your name, address, phone number and birthdate. Contact Crawford directly by phone: 1-866-343-1858; by email: IRSPersonalCredits@crawco.ca or by fax: 1-888-842-1332

If I don’t want to wait for the mail, can I get my form faxed or emailed to me? Yes, just give them the fax or email.

Can I just get the cash instead? No, it must go through an organization.

Who can I transfer my credits to? Your child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, sibling, or spouse.

What if the CEP recipient is deceased? The trustee or executor of the estate can apply on behalf of the deceased.

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Formal Education Options Includes both mainstream and cultural programming within formal institutions

Recognized Formal Education Institutions K-12 Schools - First Nations or Métis elementary and secondary Post Secondary Institutions including:

• Universities and Colleges • Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning (IIHL’s) • Technical Institutes, Trade or Training schools

Indigenous Early Childhood Education Centres (ex: Headstart) Wide variety of Access Programs, and Essential Skills courses: literacy,

parenting, computer skills, driver courses, etc.

Blanket authority given by Courts for the following expenses: Tuition, books, course expenses, lab fees, computers, tutoring NO living expenses allowable Requires coordination with SFA and PSSSP - NO claw backs - if you are

funded you can still receive full funding – use up the credits first! “Spend-by” date = August 31, 2015

Education plan must be coordinated asap!

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Questions: Can I use the credits to pay off a student loan? No, it must be for a current course or future course (up to Aug 31, 2015).

Can I use the credits to pay for a course I already took? No.

Can I use the credits towards a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)? No, the credits have to be used before Aug 31, 2015.

Can I save the credits for my grandchildren when they get older? No, the credits have to be used before Aug 31, 2015.

What are some ideas for my grandchildren to access the credits? You can transfer the credits to the child’s school for various educational programs – student wellness, literacy, culture, language, sports, music, academics, computers, school trips etc. Also driver’s education, or hockey schools, etc.

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Language and Culture - Group Process Option Projects related to preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of Indigenous identities, histories, cultures, languages

Credits can be pooled to: – Enhance current/create new language and culture programming

Recognized Indigenous Institutions include First Nations or Métis – Friendship Centres, Cultural Centres, Schools, IIHL’s, Language

Societies, Early Childhood Centres, etc. Programming can include:

– Traditional knowledge transmission and courses taught by elders – Culture camps, healing retreats, and on-the-land activities

including: • spiritual and ceremonial practices, roles, rites of passage • hunting, fishing, trapping, tanning, canoeing, camping • harvesting and preparing traditional foods and medicines • artistic and cultural expression– beadwork, sewing, carving,

painting, dancing, drumming, story telling, hand games, etc.

“Spend-by” date = Aug 31, 2015 Education plan must be coordinated asap!

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Questions: Can I donate my credits? Contact your AFN Liaison (1-866-669-6789), who can help by providing you with creative options to allocate your credits.

What if I change my mind and want to allocate my credits someplace else? Unfortunately, you cannot change your request unless the course is no longer being offered.

Where can I find the list of approved education entities and group service orgs? www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca has a search feature. You can also call 866-343-1858 for more information.

What if my organization is not on the list? If you want to use that organization, put it on your form! That will kickstart the process for approval. Include information on the organization such as a website or brochure that will provide information on what the organization offers.

What are some examples of ways people are pooling their credits? – Family Healing Programs, Community Healing and Wellness Programs – Community Cultural Programs and Activities, Family On-the-land Camps – Ceremonial Practices, Powwows, Cultural Events – Language Classes, Cultural Workshops – On-the-land - teaching traditional activities like making dry meat, dry fish, tanning

hides, beading, sewing, making regalia, harvesting traditional foods and medicines.

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OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS Step 1: Acknowledgement Receipt of personalized Acknowledgement Form Return the form by March 9, 2015

Step 2: Redemption Receipt of personalized Redemption Form Completion of form by the education entity or group

educational service Return the form by June 8, 2015

Step 3: Payment Crawford recommends payment to AANDC who verifies and

approves the cheque issued directly to the organization. The Educational Entity or Group Educational Service delivers

the program to the individual(s). “Spend-by” date is August 31, 2015

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Where to Submit Your Forms: By Email: IRSPersonalCredits@crawco.ca By Fax: 1-888-842-1332 By Mail:

Crawford Class Action Personal Credits Administrator

Suite 3 – 505, 133 Weber Street North Waterloo, ON N2J 3G9

Questions: What if my form is incomplete? It will not be approved. It is important to make sure the information is filled out properly. (Usually you only need to fill out pages 1, 4/5, and 7.)

What is an INACTIVE File? If your form is incomplete and Crawford couldn’t contact you, the file will become inactive. If you haven’t heard about your form, call them!

Why is the deadline so tight? Can it be extended? No. This is a Court appoint process and the terms are set.

How long does this process take? It takes much longer than we like! At least a couple of months, so it is important to apply right away.

When will the cheques be issued? Not until a month or two after the redemption form is sent in.

What will happen to the money left over from this process? It will go to the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and the Inuvialuit Education Foundation.

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Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program The objectives of the RHSW Program are to: Provide mental health and emotional support services to eligible

former IRS students and families throughout all phases of the Settlement Agreement

Provide cultural support (including Elders and traditional healers), emotional support, professional counselling and transportation

National Indian Residential School 24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419

Regional Toll-free Contact Numbers: Northern Region: 1-866-509-1769 Atlantic: 1-866-414-8111 Quebec: 1-877-583-2965 Ontario: 1-888-301-6426 Manitoba: 1-866-818-3505 Saskatchewan: 1-866-250-1529 Alberta: 1-888-495-6588 British Columbia: 1-877-477-0775

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AFN Liaisons

Sharon Slippery – BC Curtis Mallett – SK, MB Larry Whiteduck – ON, QC, Atlantic Shannon Payne – AB, YT, NT

1-866-869-6789

Sample Forms and “How to” Resources

www.afn.ca

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More Information: You can get a copy of the Indian Residential

School Settlement Agreement and review Terms and Conditions for Personal Education Credits at:

www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca

Personal Credits Help Desk:

1-866-343-1858