Roughly 10,000 expected to join dental class action against Indigenous Services Canada

A potential future class action lawsuit is shedding more light on the impacts of the dentistry work performed under the former Indian Affairs Canada between the 1960s and 1980s.

A potential future class action lawsuit is shedding more light on the impacts of the dentistry work performed under the former Indian Affairs Canada between the 1960s and 1980s.

The suit is currently in its early stages but is being facilitated by the Band Members of the Advocacy Alliance Association of Canada (BMAAAC).

It is expected to allege substandard and harmful dental work which took place in the 30 to 40-year period by Indian Affairs, the former Indigenous Services Canada linked to a “travelling dentist,” who went from community to community practicing on youth who did not provide consent. Based on stories heard by BMAAAC president and founder Rob Louie, the impacts are vast.

“It certainly was disheartening to hear some of the stories being told by elderly people now, because [they] were young children back in the 1960s and 70s. So not only did they go through residential schools, not only do they go through, you know, the 60s scoop and the abuse that went along with it. Now they're dealing with some of their self-esteem issues,” he told CTV News on Wednesday.

“Some of these stories that we've heard include having teeth removed without any freezing and some of the harms that went around that followed folks right into adulthood and some of the members that we've talked to, they have very poor teeth and that is a result of not wanting to go to a dentist after their experience as a child,” Louie said.

CTV News released an exclusive story on the potential class action on April 5.

Indigenous Services Canada responded to an April 4 request for a statement from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) but did not receive a response until one week later, April 11.