Seventy years after the British Columbia government forcibly removed dozens of children from their families and placed them in a province-run camp, survivors and their descendants express disappointment with a $10 million compensation package offered by the government. Some members of the Sons of Freedom Doukhobors feel that the financial compensation has reopened old wounds rather than providing closure.
Betty Kabatoff, 78, who was taken from her family home in Krestova, B.C. and placed in a former tuberculosis sanatorium in New Denver, B.C., described the compensation as “a slap in the face.” She recalls the traumatic experience of being separated from her family at a young age and the abuse she endured while in the camp.
Lorraine Walton, the daughter of two survivors of the Doukhobor camp, expressed her disappointment with the compensation package, stating that many families were hoping for a direct lump sum payment to survivors and families. The survivors had long awaited a formal apology from the government for the historical wrongs committed against them and their families.
On February 27, the province officially apologized for the forcible removal of children from Doukhobor families in the 1950s. The apology was a long-awaited acknowledgment of the harm done to the community. However, many survivors feel that the compensation package does not adequately address the pain and suffering they endured.
The $10 million compensation package includes funds for cultural, historical, and health programs, with $3.75 million allocated to a health and wellness fund for survivors and their descendants. The government aims to preserve and promote the community’s cultural heritage, support educational and cultural programs, conduct research, and expand access to mental health services.
Despite the apology and compensation package, many survivors feel that more needs to be done to address the intergenerational trauma caused by the forced removal of children from Doukhobor families. The survivors, now in their 70s and 80s, hope for meaningful reconciliation and healing from the government. The apology and compensation are seen as a step towards acknowledging the wrongs of the past, but there is still work to be done to make things right for the survivors and their families.