# Thoughts: Trudeau’s tendentious term **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 29, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-trudeau-s-tendentious-term/953497 "2021-10-29T23:57:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-trudeau-s-tendentious-term/953497/1 "2021-10-29T23:57:26Z")
With the election over, this is merely a continuation of previous threads discussing Canadian politics. Trudeau is making international news after his government filed a challenge to a decision that First Nations children were discriminated against and were awarded $40,000 each. The decision would cost billions. The government than said it would pause the challenge and negotiate. If the original award was fair, I do not see why this would lower the value. The courts did not seem to think it was unfair - and many Canadians would not either. What is the government thinking? > **[Trudeau files last-ditch appeal against billions for Indigenous children](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/oct/29/trudeau-government-canada-indigenous-children)** > > Tribunal ordered Canadian government to pay compensation to First Nations children who suffered discrimination in welfare system ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-trudeau-s-tendentious-term/953497/2 "2021-10-30T00:05:00Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > What is the government thinking? That it could negotiate lower amounts of compensation or structure different payment terms. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-trudeau-s-tendentious-term/953497/3 "2021-10-30T01:40:52Z")
Sure, but that depends on having good legal grounds for a challenge and a sufficient likelihood of terms changing. I presume the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Medical Association and many other groups would have not asked the government not to appeal without reason. I cannot say I understand the law or issues well enough to say why an agreement to a lower amount is likely. Which is why I ask those smarter than I. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-trudeau-s-tendentious-term/953497/4 "2021-10-30T18:02:49Z")
To summarize the issues for those less familiar with Canadian politics (these are my impressions and may be mistaken): It seems that the government since 2006 made a decision to underfund some Indigenous programs, forcing sone families to send 40,000 children into foster care. A court awarded damages at $40,000 per child affected, but also said payment could be made to parents and grandparents. I believe the appeal says the tribune did not have jurisdiction to include parents and grandparents. The $40,000 includes both the deficit in the funding programs as well as additional penalties due to the harsh effects of the decision. The government had a deadline to appeal. They filed it just before the deadline but then said they hoped to negotiate. Many had asked them not to appeal given the sensitivity of the issue. I am wondering if the government wants to roll future liabilities for all residential school issues into one package; or if they just want to be seen as providing taxpayer value given the serious errors made? I do not know legal things about how numbers were determined, etc.