E. Anthony Ross

The court amended its initial costs decision regarding an unsuccessful Request for Directions under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

The initial decision directed Canada to pay costs to the Requestor.

The Requestor's counsel sought an amendment to have the cheque made payable to his law firm in trust, as the Requestor was never intended to be exposed to costs.

The court granted the amendment, directing Canada to issue a new cheque payable to the counsel's professional corporation in trust upon return of the original cheque.

The applicant, an impoverished former student of the Fort William Sanatorium School, sought an advance costs award to fund a Request for Directions to have the school recognized as an Indian Residential School under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.

After numerous lawyers declined the case due to financial risk, the applicant brought this motion.

The court granted the motion, finding that the applicant met the strict criteria for an advance costs award: her claim had prima facie merit, she was genuinely impecunious, and the case raised issues of public importance regarding access to justice for residential school survivors.