Canadian Armed Forces racial discrimination settlement

The settlement class includes both current and former CAF members who meet the notice’s time-period and experience requirements.

• You must have been enrolled as a CAF member at some point from April 17, 1985, through January 10, 2025. There is no minimum length of service stated.
• You must assert that you experienced racial discrimination and/or racial harassment connected with military service.

The $5,000 payment and the possible assessed payment are not presented as alternatives. The notice describes the higher assessed amount as an additional payment.

• The common-experience payment is $5,000 if a Class Member confirms they experienced racial discrimination and/or racial harassment connected with military service.
• A person can also choose to share their experiences for an assessment. Independent Assessors may award an additional $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 based on the duration and severity of impacts described in the notice.
• The stated individual-payment range is $5,000 to $35,000 before any adjustment under the settlement fund rules.

The notice offers free help from Class Counsel with completing the form once the claims period is open.

• Submit an Individual Claim Form to seek a monetary award.
• Use the same form to request a personalized apology letter or to participate in restorative engagement.
• The notice says forms will be available once the claims period opens. It says that period will open after April 10, 2025, but could be delayed.
• The filing deadline is 12 months after the claims period opens, not a fixed calendar date in this notice.

The listed payment amounts are therefore subject to these settlement-wide adjustments. The notice does not say that an increase is guaranteed when total payments are below $100 million.

• The total of all individual payments cannot exceed $150 million.
• If the assessed payments would exceed that amount, payments may be reduced proportionally.
• If the total individual payments are below $100 million, payments may be increased by up to 20%.

These are separate settlement benefits in addition to the payment provisions.

• Restorative engagement allows Class Members to communicate their experiences to senior CAF leadership with qualified, trained restorative practitioners.
• A Class Member may request a personalized letter of apology from the Chief of the Defence Staff.
• Both options require an Individual Claim Form.

The notice says that people who did not opt out by the deadline are bound by the settlement, even if they do not submit a claim.

• To opt out means to leave the settlement rather than be bound by it.
• The Opt Out Form deadline was April 10, 2025.
• A person who opts out cannot claim a settlement payment, but keeps the right to sue Canada or others or bring a human rights complaint about the covered discrimination or harassment, subject to applicable legal limits.

This rule applies to proceedings against Canada for covered damages.

• If you had already started a legal proceeding against Canada for damages arising from the discrimination or harassment covered by this settlement, you needed to discontinue that proceeding before April 10, 2025 to remain in the settlement.
• If it was not discontinued by that date, the notice says you were automatically treated as having opted out and could not claim a monetary award under this settlement.