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CBC
9 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
10 years after apology, '60s Scoop survivors call for support beyond 'grossly inadequate' payout
Survivors of an infamous Canadian campaign to take Indigenous children from their families are underscoring the need for more action on the 10-year anniversary of the Manitoba's government formal apology for its role. Lorraine Sinclair and Cindy Munro are grateful they reunited. The sisters say they're from a family of 11 children — nine of whom, including them, were separated and adopted out during the Sixties Scoop. "We're learning about each other. Our other extended family and our other brothers and sisters, we don't really know them," said Munro. "I don't know who they are. That's not fair — that's not fair to my children, my grandchildren, my siblings." The sisters were among a group of survivors and supporters at an event at St. John's Park in north Winnipeg on Wednesday to mark a decade since then premier Greg Selinger apologized to families caught in the Sixties Scoop. The once legal and systematic practice removed thousands of First Nation, Métis and Inuit children from their birth families from the late 1950s into the 1980s. Most were adopted out to non-Indigenous families in Canada and abroad. Coleen Rajotte, an advocate for Sixties Scoop survivors, said the 2015 apology was an important part of reconciliation but doesn't go far enough. "It recognizes that we were through genocide, we were taken away from our families and placed far away from our culture and language," she said. "It's now 2025, and we're asking the federal government and provincial government: what has really been done for us?" The federal government announced a $800-million settlement for survivors in 2017, though some waited years for payments due to various delays. Over 34,000 claims were submitted by the 2019 deadline. The sum eventually doled out to those deemed eligible amounted to about $25,000 per survivor. Rajotte, who served on a Manitoba committee that asked for the 2015 apology, campaigned against that amount. She calls it "pathetic" and "grossly inadequate" compared to similar settlements reached for residential school and day school survivors. "Not that money is going to fix everything, but we really feel like Sixties Scoop survivors have often been forgotten about," she said. "We don't really have the strong political voices that we need to move our issues forward." Rajotte said beyond inadequate financial restitution, there are also issues that remain in terms of repatriating Canadian-born survivors that were adopted out internationally. "Many of our survivors are still out in this world somewhere — Europe, United States, New Zealand, Australia," she said. "Our children were placed far away, and we don't even know how many more of our Sixties Scoop survivors are still out there." WATCH | Premier Greg Selinger apologizes for Sixties Scoop in 2015: RAW: Premier Selinger apologizes for Sixties Scoop 10 years ago Duration 2:35 Sinclair and Munro say two of their siblings have died. One of their sisters remains in a locked mental health institution in Minnesota, and they want help repatriating her. "I want a family picture. I don't know what that is," said Sinclair. Late last month, advocates convened a group of survivors at Anish Healing Centre, which supports Sixties Scoop survivors, to ask them for input on what more needs to be done to support them. Rajotte said the group penned a letter with recommended supports that they sent to Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's office. They're hoping to meet with him. Among other recommendations, Rajotte would like to see governments fund the creation of a centre devoted to helping survivors seek guidance should they wish to repatriate, and to help them access financial and mental health supports for all survivors. "I stand here as a proud Cree woman who has gone through her own healing journey," said Rajotte. "I feel blessed that we have a voice and I am using our voice today to say more has to be done."
RNZ News
08-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Erin Patterson 'didn't look unwell' like other lunch guests, nurse tells mushroom murder trial
By Kristian Silva , ABC Erin Patterson was arrested and charged with murder on 2 November 2023. Photo: Screenshot / ABC A nurse says Erin Patterson did not appear to be sick while in hospital, two days after hosting the fatal beef Wellington lunch that caused the deaths of three relatives. The focus of Patterson's triple-murder trial today shifted to the medical care she received in the aftermath of the lunch on July 29, 2023. The Supreme Court, sitting in Morwell, heard Patterson's condition around midday on 31 July appeared to be significantly different from the four other lunch guests. By that stage, Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson had all been admitted to hospitals with severe vomiting and diarrhoea. "She didn't look unwell like Ian and Heather," Leongatha hospital nurse Cindy Munro said. "I recall Ian being so unwell he could barely lift his head off the pillow. "Erin was sitting up in the bed in the trolley and she didn't look unwell to me." At the time, Munro said, Patterson was hesitant about receiving intravenous fluids and liver-protecting medication. "Erin sort of stressed she didn't want any of this," Munro said. Munro said medical staff were concerned the lunch attendees were suffering from mushroom poisoning, and were worried Patterson's two children had been exposed to the toxins after eating some of the leftovers. "At that stage she said, 'No, no I scraped off all the mushroom' and the children were not unwell," Munro said. "She didn't want to cause any hassle. She didn't want to take them out of school and that was when she became quite teary, quite worried." Munro said she warned Patterson it was possible toxins could have seeped into the meat eaten by the children. Eventually, Patterson agreed to having the children checked out. Earlier on Thursday, doctor Veronica Foote told the court Patterson had discharged herself from the hospital on July 31 after a five-minute stay. Patterson's decision, against medical advice, prompted another concerned doctor to call police when she failed to return in an agreed 20-minute window. Dr Foote said she formed the view Patterson was moderately dehydrated and appeared to have a gastro illness, after having a conversation with her and performing a physical examination. Later, after Patterson was transported to Monash hospital in Clayton, she was visited by Tanya Patterson, the wife of her brother-in-law. "She said she was feeling nauseous and dizzy and tired," Tanya Patterson said. Tayna Patterson said Patterson inquired about the welfare of the other lunch guests, with Tanya telling her they were "going downhill quickly". "She told me she knew Don and Gail were in a coma," Tanya Patterson said. Tanya Patterson said the conversation then shifted to Patterson wanting to take her children on a boat cruise. A toxicologist then entered the room and informed Patterson that her potassium levels were "fine", Tanya Patterson said. "I stayed and heard the toxicologist say Erin was fine and well enough to go home," she said. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murders of Don and Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson, all members of her estranged husband's family. She also denies a charge of attempted murder regarding Ian Wilkinson, the only lunch guest to survive. Ian Wilkinson (left) was the sole surviving guest of the lunch. Photo: ABC / Supplied Prosecutors allege Patterson deliberately poisoned the group with death cap mushrooms in the main course of the lunch, a beef Wellington. Senior Constable Adrian Martinez-Villalobis told the court he'd been dispatched to Patterson's Leongatha house to find leftovers of the meal. He called Patterson in hospital, who directed him to a bin outside the property. The officer said he put on two sets of gloves, found the remnants at the bottom of the bin in a paper bag, and took it to the Leongatha hospital. "She was cooperative throughout," he said of Patterson. The trial continues.
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Erin Patterson 'didn't look unwell' like other lunch guests, nurse tells mushroom murder trial
A nurse says Erin Patterson did not appear to be sick while in hospital, two days after hosting the fatal beef Wellington lunch that caused the deaths of three relatives. The focus of Ms Patterson's triple-murder trial today shifted to the medical care she received in the aftermath of the lunch on July 29, 2023. The trial of Erin Patterson, who stands accused of using a poisoned meal to murder three relatives, continues. Look back at how Wednesday's court proceedings unfolded in our To chart the people, events and evidence in the case, read our The Supreme Court, sitting in Morwell, heard Ms Patterson's condition around midday on July 31 appeared to be significantly different from the four other lunch guests. By that stage, Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson had all been admitted to hospitals with severe vomiting and diarrhoea. "She didn't look unwell like Ian and Heather," Leongatha hospital nurse Cindy Munro said. Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving guest of the lunch, took to the witness box earlier this week. ( AAP: Joel Carrett ) "I recall Ian being so unwell he could barely lift his head off the pillow. "Erin was sitting up in the bed in the trolley and she didn't look unwell to me." At the time, Ms Munro said, Ms Patterson was hesitant about receiving intravenous fluids and liver-protecting medication. "Erin sort of stressed she didn't want any of this," Ms Munro said. Ms Munro said medical staff were concerned the lunch attendees were suffering from mushroom poisoning, and were worried Ms Patterson's two children had been exposed to the toxins after eating some of the leftovers. "At that stage she said, 'No, no I scraped off all the mushroom' and the children were not unwell," Ms Munro said. Photo shows An illustration of Erin Patterson with her face inside the shape of a mushroom. The ABC's Mushroom Case Daily podcast brings you all the key updates from court involving accused triple murderer Erin Patterson, and an allegedly poisonous mushroom lunch. "She didn't want to cause any hassle. She didn't want to take them out of school and that was when she became quite teary, quite worried." Ms Munro said she warned Ms Patterson it was possible toxins could have seeped into the meat eaten by the children. Eventually, Ms Patterson agreed to having the children checked out. Earlier on Thursday, doctor Veronica Foote told the court Ms Patterson had discharged herself from the hospital on July 31 after a five-minute stay. Ms Patterson's decision, against medical advice, prompted another concerned doctor to call police when she failed to return in an agreed 20-minute window. Dr Foote said she formed the view Ms Patterson was moderately dehydrated and appeared to have a gastro illness, after having a conversation with her and performing a physical examination. Photo shows A woman standing in front of her car. The six-week murder trial of Erin Patterson is underway in the regional Victorian town of Morwell. Here's what we know so far about the case, based on material put to the jury. Later, after Ms Patterson was transported to Monash hospital in Clayton, she was visited by Tanya Patterson, the wife of her brother-in-law. "She said she was feeling nauseous and dizzy and tired," Tanya Patterson said. Tayna Patterson said Ms Patterson inquired about the welfare of the other lunch guests, with Tanya telling her they were "going downhill quickly". "She told me she knew Don and Gail were in a coma," Tanya Patterson said. Tanya Patterson said the conversation then shifted to Ms Patterson wanting to take her children on a boat cruise. A toxicologist then entered the room and informed Ms Patterson that her potassium levels were "fine", Tanya Patterson said. "I stayed and heard the toxicologist say Erin was fine and well enough to go home," she said. Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murders of Don and Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson, all members of her estranged husband's family. She also denies a charge of attempted murder regarding Ian Wilkinson, the only lunch guest to survive. Ian Wilkinson (left) was the sole surviving guest of the lunch. ( Supplied ) Prosecutors allege Ms Patterson deliberately poisoned the group with death cap mushrooms in the main course of the lunch, a beef Wellington. Senior Constable Adrian Martinez-Villalobis told the court he'd been dispatched to Ms Patterson's Leongatha house to find leftovers of the meal. He called Ms Patterson in hospital, who directed him to a bin outside the property. The officer said he put on two sets of gloves, found the remnants at the bottom of the bin in a paper bag, and took it to the Leongatha hospital. "She was cooperative throughout," he said of Ms Patterson. The trial continues.
