As a result of a historic agreement, Canada agreed to pay compensation of almost three billion Canadian dollars to indigenous peoples in order to "repair the damage" suffered over a century by thousands of children forcibly placed in religious residential schools.
Justin Trudeau's government announced an agreement with 325 indigenous communities to compensate them with up to 2.8 billion Canadian dollars (about 2.1 billion U.S. dollars) for abuses suffered between the late 19th century and the 1990s.
"Canada is committed to redressing the collective harm caused by the residential school system and the loss of language, culture and heritage," an official statement said.
For nearly a century, the Canadian government sent some 150,000 children to 139 residential schools, mostly run by the Catholic Church, where they were isolated from their families, language and culture.
Many suffered physical and sexual abuse, and thousands are believed to have died from disease, malnutrition or neglect.
It was not until recent years that research was conducted to shed light on the tragic colonial past of this former territory of the British Empire.
The record sum will be placed in a non-profit trust independent of the government and will be used to "revitalize indigenous education, culture and language, to assist survivors in their healing process and reconnection with their heritage," according to the official statement.
For almost two years now, this grim past has resurfaced as graves of Aboriginal children have been discovered near the institutions where the minors were forcibly recruited.
More than 1,300 graves have already been identified, most recently ten days ago.
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