Sask. police services waive fees to help survivors reclaim their Indigenous names

Reclaiming Indigenous names on ID WATCH: Indigenous people can reclaim traditional names on federal ID. But what about provincial identification? Colton Wiens reports.

In recognition of the lasting trauma of those who survived the Indian Residential School system and the Sixties Scoop, Saskatchewan police services are waiving the fees required for people wishing to reclaim their Indigenous names.

The fees were previously associated with the criminal record checks and fingerprints required for a legal name change.

The move supports a resolution by the Canadian Association of Chief’s of Police’s (CACP) and The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Call to Action #17.

The TRC’s call to action compels all levels of government to allow survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for five years for the revision of documents like birth certificates, passports, driver licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers.

“This work involves building trust, fostering positive relationships, and addressing historical tensions between the law enforcement and the communities we serve,” a release from CACP said.

“This policy change is one way we can journey together on a continued path toward reconciliation.”

Award winning journalist and survivor of the Sixties Scoop Betty Ann Adam says she’s in favour of any supports for survivors, but she stressed the need for coordination.

“I think all agencies involved in the name changing process should be talking to each other to coordinate responses to create a seamless, simple and cost-free process for survivors to reclaim their real names,” she told CTV News.

The process for applying for a legal name change in the province of Saskatchewan can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan’s website www.saskatchewan.ca.