Survivors gather in Winnipeg to share experiences at TRC event

Paul Daniels sat by himself, the Assiniboine River his backdrop at the Forks National Park, as he ate a bagged lunch courtesy of the churches.

For Daniels, it’s the least the churches could do. He’s waiting on a hearing through the independent assessment process to see how much financial compensation he will receive for the sexual abuse he suffered during his eight years as a day scholar at Fort Alexander residential school northeast of Winnipeg.

“The compensation I’m waiting for plays a very minor part in (my healing). I wish we would be treated the same as anyone else,” Daniels said, speaking softly.
Daniels said he wanted to be a lawyer once but “my brokenness stopped me from achieving it.”

Fort Alexander residential school was run by the Catholic church. Daniels was sexually abused by the priest of the time.