July 15, 2020
(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.): The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) extends our support and compassion to the victims of disgraced former social worker Robert Riley Saunders and demands further accountability for the ongoing harm and trauma caused through his actions.
The FNLC is pleased to see some resolution for the victims of Robert Saunders through the settlement agreement released earlier today, and recognition of the significant harms he caused in the lives of every child and youth he came into contact with over nearly two decades. Financial compensation for these individuals is the first step in offering reparations; however, much more must be done to address the systemic failures that this case has highlighted.