Three Indigenous sisters sued their former foster mother and the Attorney General of Canada for abuse and loss of culture.
The plaintiffs were placed with their non-Indigenous aunt and uncle in the 1960s.
The court found that the foster mother physically and emotionally abused the plaintiffs, treating them as servants and disparaging their Indigenous heritage.
The court also found that Canada breached its fiduciary duty by shelving plans to return the children to their First Nation in Saskatchewan, resulting in a profound loss of culture, language, and identity.
The plaintiffs were awarded $100,000 each in general damages (joint and several), $10,000 each in punitive damages against the foster mother, and $150,000 each against Canada for loss of culture.
