NUNAVIK YOUTH
Cause of action:
April 30th 2024 update:This class action has been certified and is moving onwards to trial.
This case seeks compensation for the systemic discrimination against Inuit children and families in Nunavik and Indigenous children and families living off-reserve in Québec, by the governments of Canada and Québec.
In breach of their duties, both governments have failed in providing basic child welfare and other essential health and social services.
The discrimination alleged in this proposed Class Action has taken two forms.
First, through systemic underfunding, neglect, and avoidance of their constitutional and legal duties, the two governments have failed generations of Inuit, First Nations and Métis children and youth who came into contact with the child welfare system. These children and families were deprived of the most basic child welfare prevention and protection services. As a result, they suffered avoidable family breakups, horrendous abuse and neglect.
Second, the two governments deprived Inuit children who required essential health, social and other services of services that were substantively equal to those available to non-Indigenous children in Québec and Canada. Every time an Inuit child needed an essential service, the child faced gaps or the two governments’ apathy and avoidance of responsibility.
This class action concerns:
All Inuit children in Nunavik who have been in the child welfare system between 1975 and the present;
All Inuit children in Nunavik who needed an essential service between 1975 and the present but faced a denial, delay or gap in services;
The parents, or caregiving grandparents, of the above Inuit children;
All Indigenous children living off-reserve in Québec who were taken into out-of-home care between 1992 and today;
The parents, or caregiving grandparents, of the above Indigenous children.
Coupal Chauvelot s.a. is prosecuting this case before the Superior Court of Québec in collaboration with Kugler Kandestin LLP and Sotos Class Actions.
Next steps:
On September 25 and 26, 2023, at 9 AM ET, the Superior Court of Québec will hear the Petitioners’ application to be authorized to proceed with this class action. You may attend this hearing virtually by clicking on the link that will be available on www.dypclassaction.com.
We will continue to publish important updates and and new information here, as well as throughout the press.
For more information, please contact us directly:
Louis-Nicholas Coupal
(514) 903-3390
lnc@coupalchauvelot.com
Victor Chauvelot
(514) 903-3390
victor@coupalchauvelot.com
All your communications will be strictly confidential and free of charge.
Should you believe that you may be a member of this class action, please fill in the information below.
Nakurmik, merci, thank you.
