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Hundreds Get Free Covid Testing After SKN Reports First Omicron Cases

by Karla Berridge ans Dionne Baptisted
St Kitts and Nevis wrapped up its first week of free COVID-19 testing on Thursday with hundreds of persons taking advantage of the opportunity to get tested for the virus.

This, as the daily number of active cases, continue to rise rapidly at alarming rates.

The most recent COVID-19 Situation Report issued for St Kitts and Nevis dated Wednesday, January 5, indicates 177 new cases compared to the 156 cases from the previous day. The country’s total number of active cases currently stands at 767.

Last week during an emergency National Emergency Operations Center COVID-19 briefing, Chief Medical Officer Dr Hazel Laws announced the emergence of thederation’s fourth COVID-19 wave and the first two cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Since then, the cases have been increasing, causing persons to speculate that Omicron is rampant throughout the islands.

Dr Laws also announced the introduction of the car park free COVID-19 testing. The initiative allows for persons to be tested at three sites during the week during a one-hour period.

The scheduled days are Tuesdays at the Basseterre Health Centre, Wednesdays at the Pogson Medical Center and Thursdays at the Mary Charles Hospital. Testing takes place from 6:30 am to 7:30 am at all venues on the designated days.

The car park testing has been introduced for the month of January in the first instance.

The Ministry of Health has asked persons experiencing fever, sore throat, sniffles, coughing, and those who think they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 to take advantage of the free testing opportunity.

Persons who have not been vaccinated continue to be encouraged to do so and booster shots have been made available for the fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 tests in St Kitts and Nevis usually cost in the range of $100 US dollars/ $270 EC dollars.

On Tuesday, January 4, 100 persons were tested and on Wednesday 99 persons were tested.

The post Hundreds Get Free Covid Testing After SKN Reports First Omicron Cases appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Serbia slams 'political witch hunt' as Djokovic saga escalates

Australia has been accused of a "political witch hunt" and seeking to deliberately humiliate tennis star Novak Djokovic, in a significant escalation of the international furore over the cancellation of his visa.

Serbia's President and Prime Minister both came out swinging in support of their country's national hero overnight as the men's world number one's father declared his son was "a prisoner of these idiots".

Djokovic looks set to spend the weekend in a Melbourne detention facility awaiting a Monday Federal Court hearing for his appeal against the last-minute voiding of his visa, based on an alleged failure to "provide appropriate evidence" to justify his entry.

READ MORE: Djokovic to remain in Australia until Monday as he appeals visa denial

If unsuccessful, he'll be deported on Monday afternoon instead of defending his Australian Open title and a chance to overtake rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as player with the most grand slam wins in men's tennis history.

The situation on Thursday escalated into an international diplomatic incident as Serbian leaders accused Australia of playing politics.

"What is not fair-play is the political witch hunt (being conducted against Novak), by everybody including the Australian Prime Minister pretending that the rules apply to all," Mr Vucic told the media on Thursday, according to a translation by Agence France-Presse news agency.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, pushed on whether she agreed with the President, said Djokovic was being treated differently to other players and "that is what makes us think it's political".

READ MORE: Djokovic kept in Melbourne detention facility until court hearing: What we know about the Park Hotel

"We will try to do our best to make sure Novak is treated equally and gets all the rights that he's entitled to. That is the only thing I can say," she told Sky News UK in an interview.

"And Serbia stands by Novak. I stand by Novak. All of our people stand by Novak and his family in these difficult times."

Other Open exemptions under investigation

This morning Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews confirmed the medical exemptions granted to other Australian Open entrants are being investigated, as she reiterated the claim that Djokovic did not meet entry requirements. 

"The Australian Border Force has been investigating this now," she said. 

"They have been for at least the last 24 hours in my knowledge. I will be briefed further on that potentially today but maybe later." 

Ms Andrews said Djokovic's visa had not been the issue, but that the evidence for his medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination did not meet Australian standards – the same claim Scott Morrison made yesterday. 

And she denied the government should have been "more prepared" for the high-profile star's entry. 

"It was the entry requirements," she said. 

"It was actually the evidence of vaccination that every single person who comes into Australia has to prove that they have been vaccinated or prove that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons." 

'On the next plane home'

Djokovic had been granted a medical exemption to compete in the first grand slam of the year through what Tennis Australia described as a "rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts".

But Mr Morrison said the evidence was "insufficient" to enter the country, having earlier warned Djokovic would be "on the next plane home" if that was the case.

READ MORE: Biden marks year since Capitol attack: 'I will stand in this breach'

The Australian Border Force sensationally cancelled his visa on Thursday morning, hours after the tennis star landed in Melbourne, saying he "failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia".

Serbian authorities are fighting to get Djokovic released from the Park Hotel detention facility where he is being held and into private rental accommodation until his appeal is heard on Monday morning.

Ms Brnabic said she was pushing for a meeting with Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews.

In an extraordinary press conference overnight, the tennis player's family gathered with several of his Australian Open trophies and a large graffiti sign to sharply criticise Australian authorities.

READ MORE: Rafael Nadal hits Novak Djokovic with cold truth amid Australian Open fight

Father Srdjan Djokovic said Australia should be ashamed of the way it was treating his son, saying "our pride is a prisoner of these idiots" and calling for the "whole free world together with Serbia" to rise up.

"Novak and his team filed the same type of documents, as those 25 other tennis players (with exemptions) and it didn't have any problems, just Novak," he said, appearing to conflate the 26 applications for medical exemptions tournament director Craig Tiley said were made with the "handful" he said were granted.

"They wanted to humiliate him. They could have said don't come Novak, and that would have been okay.

"But no, they wanted to humiliate him, and they're still keeping him in prison. He's not in detention. He's in prison."

His father said Djokovic was left without a change of clothes or anywhere to wash his face and his mother, Dijana Djokovic, described the hotel as "dirty", with "terrible food".

"I feel terrible since yesterday, the last 24 hours that they are keeping him as a prisoner. It's just not fair. It's not human," she said.

Djokovic has not revealed his vaccination status but in April last year said he was "opposed to vaccination". It has been speculated that he was granted an exemption based on having been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past six months.

READ MORE: How the world reacted to Novak Djokovic visa cancellation

Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

On Thursday Mr Morrison said Health Minister Greg Hunt had written to Tennis Australia in November warning international arrivals would not be granted quarantine-free entry unless they met Australia's official definition of fully vaccinated, "regardless of whether they have received foreign vaccine exemptions".

"I can confirm that people who've contracted COVID-19 within the past six months and seek to enter Australia from overseas and have not received two doses of a TGA approved or TGA recognised vaccine are not considered fully vaccinated," Mr Hunt wrote, according the the Prime Minister.

Mr Vucic, who earlier in the day said the whole of Serbia was with Djokovic described Djokovic's treatment as "infamous in the proper sense of the term".

"I fear that this relentless political pursuit of Novak will continue 'til the moment they can prove something, because when you cannot defeat somebody then you turn to these type of things," he said.

Early on Friday, former Liberal foreign minister Alexander Downer admitted "there is politics in it" and described the handling of the situation as "problematic".

"If the Australian government were to grant an exemption without all the criteria for an exemption to be met, that would generate public outrage and would be a huge political problem for Scott Morrison and his government, who face an election in the first half of this year," he told Sky News.

"So that is, that's the issue."

He said the saga raised questions about what the Victorian government and Tennis Australia had told Djokovic's team but the player "didn't meet the full requirements".

The ABF is investigating allegations that at least two other unvaccinated foreign citizens have already arrived in Australia for the Open, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews confirmed on Thursday in an interview on 2GB.

"The ABF is aware of two other individuals who have used the same exemption letter issued by Tennis Australia as the basis for their medical exemption for the purposes of travelling to Australia," an ABF spokesperson told the ABC late on Thursday.

"ABF is making inquiries regarding these individuals, as the investigation is ongoing, we won't be making any further comment at this time."

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Queensland's newest multimillionaire will still 'turn up to work'

A Brisbane man in disbelief after winning $60 million in Thursday night's Powerball draw.

After a few missed calls from officials at The Lott, the Queensland man in his 30s finally answered the phone to have it confirmed he was the only winner of the jackpot.

"I know you've confirmed it, but initially, when I saw this on The Lott app I thought this has to be a gee up or a glitch in the system. Surely I haven't just won $60 million," the man said, according to a press release from The Lott.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic visa incident a 'political witch hunt', Serbian President says

"I don't think I'm going to get a lot of sleep tonight."

The winning numbers in Powerball draw 1338 on Thursday, January 6 were 15, 5, 28, 20, 29, 34 and 27. The Powerball number was 8.

The $60 million winner said he would use his windfall to "buy my first house, help family and friends and have plenty of holidays".

"I still plan to turn up to work in 2022 too," he said.

"Mate, this is bloody unreal.

"I think anyone who gets hit with this info would think it's surreal. It's just unbelievable.

"There is a massive shock factor. You always daydream, but you never really expect it to happen. It's a lottery after all.

"For me, it's a lot to process. I just didn't really expect it."

The Queenslander is the first Powerball division one winner of 2022.

There were 1,708,139 winners in divisions two to nine who won more than $31.26 million, including four division two winners who each won $216,329.20.

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Omicron: 3 More Caribbean Destinations Update Entry Rules For Tourists

by Vinicius Costa

 

Barbados, The Bahamas and The U.S. Virgin Islands have all recently updated their entry requirements in response to the new Omicron variant.

In spite of drawing attention recently, they are not the only Caribbean destinations to update their Covid border regime: over the last few days, a number of countries in the region has already enforced stricter rules following an uptick in infections.

Man Sat On A Balcony Overlooking A Beach In The Bahamas

As a result, vacationers are now susceptible to updated guidelines concerning testing at points of entry and/or proof of vaccination status, which are sure to impact the busy holiday season.

Here, you will find all the recent changes that have been made to the 3 highly popular sunny getaways:

Updated Entry Rules For Tourists Arriving In Barbados

Bridgetown, Barbados

From January 7, all visitors arriving in Barbados must produce a negative rapid PCR test result within one day of arrival. Or, if preferred, a negative standard RT-PCR test taken in the 72 hours preceding the border crossing.

In a recent statement, Barbados’ Ministry of Health and Wellness said to be closely monitoring the “unfolding situation” with the new variant, giving rise to speculation more changes could be applied in the near future should the scenario worsen.

When it comes to rules that apply domestically, all persons in Barbados must wear face masks at all times in public spaces, including outdoors, unless they are exercising.

Some tourists may also be required to supply contact details when entering premises and should expect their temperature to be taken. According to CDC guidance, American travelers should avoid all unnecessary travel to Barbados in order to minimize disease risk, especially if they are unvaccinated.

Updated Entry Rules For Tourists Arriving In The Bahamas

Panoramic View Of Port Nassau In The Bahamas

The Bahamas are the latest Caribbean destination to update its border policy in response to Omicron. Some have been welcomed by tourists, others much less so.

Shortly after announcing a tightening of the testing regime, the archipelago has already suspended the mandatory RT-PCR requirement for vaccinated travelers, which was due to come into effect on January 7.

On the other hand, those planning to stay in national territory for longer than 48 hours will still need to present a rapid antigen test in order to be granted entry, whether immunized or not.

Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas

Passengers arriving by sea should still note that, as a result of the swift Omicron spread, a growing number of Caribbean nations are enacting restrictions on cruise passengers that may impact certain itineraries.

Lastly, all visitors aged 18 and older are also required to fill apply for a pre-departure Bahamas Travel Health Visa.

Updated Entry Rules For Tourists Arriving In The U.S. Virgin Islands

St Thomas In The US Virgin Islands

Since January 3, domestic travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands, which include arrivals from mainland U.S. cities, must present proof of a negative antigen test or RT-PCR in order to be granted entry to the territory.

The rule applies to both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, and travelers are reminded that the test must taken within 3 days prior to arrival at the destination.

Woman Paddleboarding In The US Virgin Islands

Additionally, domestic travelers aged 5 and older must apply for a Travel Screening in order to enter the U.S. Virgin Islands. They should expect to include both negative test and vaccination certificate, if applicable, in the application process.

Covid cases have also been increasing across the territory, with Omicron presenting as the biggest threat to the season. Despite stark warnings, travelers of all nationalities are still welcome.

Could My Travel Plans Still Be Affected As A Result Of Omicron?

Masked Woman Reading At The Beach

All international travelers are advised to carefully prepare for any disruption that may arise from countries imposing new testing or vaccination requirements at short notice.

Especially with Omicron, the chances of finding yourself in a difficult position after testing positive before a flight are higher than they were before.

The best advice we can give is to assure you have travel insurance that covers any Covid-related imbroglios.

We would also recommend you to check for individual country guidance, as this is an ever-evolving situation and travel rules may be eventually tightened or relaxed.

The post Omicron: 3 More Caribbean Destinations Update Entry Rules For Tourists appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Biden Blasts Trump’s Self Interest, Bruised Ego in Jan. 6 Anniversary Address

By Morgan Chalfant and Alex Gangitano –

President Biden on Thursday forcefully rebuked former President Trump in an address marking the anniversary of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, accusing the former president of spreading a “web of lies” that laid the groundwork for the attack by a mob of Trump supporters one year ago. 

In a lengthy address from Statuary Hall, Biden said that Trump put his own interests over those of the country and directly and forcefully disputed the former president’s false claims that Biden’s election was won with fraudulent votes. 

“The former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. He has done so because he values power over principle, because he sees his own interest as more important than his country’s interest, America’s interest, and because his bruised ego means more to him than our democracy and our Constitution,” Biden said, his voice rising throughout the speech. “He can’t accept he lost.”

Biden never directly called Trump by name, but referred to him throughout his remarks as the former president. He took on both Trump and supporters who have parroted claims the election was rigged in the fiery address, which lasted nearly 25 minutes. 

“The former president’s supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the insurrection,” Biden said. “Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America?” 

Biden described the 2020 presidential election as the “greatest demonstration of democracy in the history of this country,” noting that more Americans voted in that election than any other before it. 

“No election in American history has been more closely scrutinized or more carefully counted,” he said.

Biden’s speech stood out because of his focus on Trump, who Biden at one point he described flatly as a “defeated former president.” Biden has typically avoided talking about his predecessor in his first year as president, trying to move the country past Trump and his divisive behavior. Some Democrats have argued that Biden should take on Trump more forcefully, especially as the 2022 midterms elections loom. 

After his remarks, when asked why he didn’t say Trump’s name during his speech, Biden told reporters: “I did not want it to turn into a contemporary political battle.”

“The way you have to heal… you can’t pretend. This is serious stuff,” the president said when asked if calling out Trump divides more than it heals. “You got to face it. That’s what great nations do. They face the truth, deal with it, and move on.”

Biden’s first indirect mention of Trump, about four minutes into his speech, referred to what the former president was doing during the insurrection on Jan. 6.

“What did we not see? We didn’t see a former president who just rallied the mob to attack, sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office at the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours,” Biden said.

Trump, who continues to perpetuate falsities about his election loss, was initially scheduled to participate in a news conference on the Jan. 6 anniversary but abruptly canceled those plans earlier this week. 

In a statement shortly after the address, Trump accused Biden of trying to “deflect the incompetent job he is doing” as president. Trump also continued to claim that the 2020 election was “rigged” despite the body of legal evidence to the contrary. 

Biden’s speech was part of a day of commemorative events marking one year since a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a violent and unprecedented attempt to prevent Congress from counting Electoral College votes that affirmed Biden’s win. Attempts by Trump and his legal allies to contest the election results in courts failed on multiple levels, including all the way up to the Supreme Court.

The day’s events took place amid continued partisan divides in Washington and across the country. While Republican lawmakers have condemned the violence, many of them have avoided calling out Trump directly for his role in spreading lies that fueled the riot. 

Biden, a former long-time senator, reflected on the circumstances that unfolded one year ago when rioters stormed and defiled the Capitol, attacked police officers, and threatened the security of lawmakers, journalists, and others working there that day. Five people were killed in the wake of the riot. 

“A crowd that professes their love for law enforcement assaulted those police officers,” he said, adding that over 140 police officers were injured.

Biden portrayed U.S. democracy as under threat and urged Americans to unite to strengthen democracy in order to win out against autocracies, like China and Russia. He called for action on voting rights legislation, previewing a renewed push that is expected to gain steam among Democrats in the coming days. 

Biden spoke about the Capitol Police officers who lost their lives on Jan. 6 and also mentioned the reporters, cafeteria workers, and custodial workers, who were in the complex that day.

The president ended his remarks calling for unity in an optimistic tone, saying “our darkest days can lead to light and hope.”

“So now let’s step up, write the next chapter in American history. When Jan. 6 marks not the end of democracy, it’s the beginning of a renaissance of liberty and fair play,” he said.

“I did not seek this fight brought to this Capitol one year ago today but I will not shrink from it either. I will stand in this breach, I will defend this nation, and I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy,” Biden said.  

The post Biden Blasts Trump’s Self Interest, Bruised Ego in Jan. 6 Anniversary Address appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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WORLD VIEW: Jan.6 Capitol Attack Anniversary, Djokovic in Limbo, Kazakhstan Uprising, More

Jan 06, 2022

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A deeply divided Congress is about to show the world a very unsettled view from the U.S. Capitol: Rather than a national crisis that pulls the country together, the deadly riot on Jan. 6, 2021, only seems to have pushed lawmakers…Read More

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Afternoons with Grammy. Birthday parties. Meeting other toddlers at the park. Parents of children too young to be vaccinated are facing difficult choices as an omicron variant-fueled surge in COVID-19 cases makes every encounter seem risky. …Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is preparing to mark the first anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection, gathering with lawmakers to remember the violent attack that has fundamentally changed the Congress and raised global concerns ab…Read More

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BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic spent a day confined to a hotel room waiting for a court to deal with the confronting prospect of a possible deportation from Australia….Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, inside the Capitol where a mob loyal to Donald Trump had laid siege, Pelosi said it’s time for the country to turn to its “better angels,” draw from history and ensure a day…Read More

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MOSCOW (AP) — Dozens of protesters were killed in Kazakhstan in attacks on government buildings and at least a dozen police officers died, including one who was found b…Read More

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Each year on Jan. 17, Shahana bakes a cake and invites friends to her home in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. They sing happy birthday for her…Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing prison time, many Jan. 6 rioters admit they were wrong to enter the U.S. Capitol and disavow political violence, despite what former President …Read More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A top Tennessee House Republican lawmaker has apologized for losing his temper and being ejected from watching a high school basketball game aft…Read More

The post WORLD VIEW: Jan.6 Capitol Attack Anniversary, Djokovic in Limbo, Kazakhstan Uprising, More appeared first on The St Kitts Nevis Observer.

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Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines Cancel More Voyages Due to Covid

By Reuters

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line on Wednesday canceled sailings amid rising fears of omicron-related coronavirus infections that have dampened the nascent recovery of the pandemic-ravaged cruise industry.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd called off its Spectrum of the Seas cruise for Jan. 6 after nine guests on its Jan. 2 trip were identified as close contacts to a local Hong Kong Covid-19 case.

The contacts have tested negative but the cruise ship will return to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on Jan. 5 to test all guests and crew who must take a second test on Jan. 8, the company said.

A similar decision to cancel trips by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd was made against the backdrop of the United States reporting the highest daily tally of any country for new coronavirus infections on Monday.

“Due to ongoing travel restrictions, we’ve had to modify a few sailings and unfortunately have had to cancel,” the 17-ship strong cruise operator said, with the embarkation dates for a few canceled sailings as far out as late April. 

The cruise line, which requires everyone on board to be vaccinated, has also had to cut short a 12-day round trip from Miami on its Norwegian Pearl ship, citing “Covid related circumstances.”

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Guadeloupe: Police Rescue Hospital Staff from Anti-Vax Protesters

Previous protests outside the hospital in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, have also turned violent. The island of some 400,000 people has one of the lowest vaccination rates in France, and many oppose Paris’s Covid-19 health pass policy.
Previous protests outside the hospital in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, have also turned violent. The island of some 400,000 people has one of the lowest vaccination rates in France, and many oppose Paris’s Covid-19 health pass policy. © Christophe Archambault, AFP/File

Police have rescued a hospital boss and his two deputies after anti-vaccination protesters laid siege to their offices in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe.

Demonstrators against the legal requirement for health staff to get vaccinated against Covid-19 surrounded the university hospital’s administration building and locked up its managing staff on Tuesday.

Police intervened and had to protect them while escorting them out of the building, managing director Gerard Cotellon told AFP.

“I was evacuated after receiving a punch in the ribs and a huge blow to the head. I think I was unconscious for 10 seconds,” he said.

His deputy Cedric Zolezzi said his shirt was torn and he was splashed with urine while rushing towards a police vehicle. The experience was “shocking”, he said.

Back in Paris, government spokesman Gabriel Attal called the attacks “shameful, revolting, scandalous, unacceptable in a republic” and assured the managers of his “solidarity”.

The government on Wednesday declared a “state of health emergency” in some of France’s overseas territories, including Guadeloupe, because of a rise in coronavirus cases combined with a low vaccination rate there

Nobody was arrested during Tuesday’s incident, which looked like a “rugby scrum” according to a police source.

The rest of the demonstration went off calmly.

A health worker union representative, Gaby Clavier, told AFP that the protesters were demanding “the money we are owed”, after the salaries of health workers who refuse to be vaccinated were frozen.

According to the hospital’s management, only five percent of the staff there have declined Covid jabs.

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Canada in Compensation Deal with Indigenous Children

Toronto, Canada (CNN) Canada announced on Tuesday two agreements totaling $31.5 billion (40 billion Canadian dollars) to compensate First Nations children who were taken from their families and put into the child welfare system and to reform the system that removed them and deprived them of services they needed.

The agreements include $15.7 billion (20 billion Canadian dollars) for potentially hundreds of thousands of First Nations children who were removed from their families, who did not get services or who experienced delays in receiving services. Another $15.7 billion is to reform the system over the next five years.

The agreements come almost 15 years after the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society brought forward a human rights complaint.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal repeatedly found child and family services discriminated against First Nations children, in part by under-funding services on reserves. Children were then removed from their homes and taken off-reserve to get those services.

Canada admitted its systems were discriminatory but repeatedly fought orders to pay compensation and fund reforms, including an appeal it filed last year.

Canada is also fighting a class-action lawsuit on behalf of First Nations children that the compensation agreement seeks to resolve.

Justice Minister David Lametti said Tuesday the government will drop its appeals once the agreements are finalized in the months ahead.

The reform deal includes $1,966.50 ($2,500 Canadian dollars) in preventive care per child and provisions for children in foster care to receive support beyond age 18.

Funding aimed at reform and preventive services should start flowing in April, but may not address the deep-rooted problems that the First Nation community faces, said Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

“I see it as words on paper,” she told Reuters. “I judge victory when I can walk into a community and a child is able to say to me, ‘My life is better than it was yesterday.’ Nothing in these words actually changes children’s lives until it’s implemented.”

Lawyer David Sterns, representing harmed First Nations children and families, said during a news conference that this would be the largest class-action settlement in Canada’s history.

“The enormity of this settlement is due to one reason, and one reason only. And that is the sheer scope of the harm inflicted on class members,” he said.
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu vowed to end discrimination against First Nations children, who are over-represented in foster care across Canada, at the news conference.

“Canada’s decision and actions harmed First Nations children, families and communities,” she said. “Discrimination caused intergenerational harm and losses. Those losses are not reversible. But I believe healing is possible.”

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