Labrador MHA Randy Edmunds says residential school settlement will bring closure

Labrador MHA Randy Edmunds says the residential school settlement announced on Tuesday was a "long time coming" for his constituents.

The member for Torngat Mountains says many people in his district were affected by the legacy of Newfoundland and Labrador's residential schools, either attending themselves or having friends and family that did. He says they've been fighting a long time for recognition.

• N.L. residential school survivors' lawyers reach $50M settlement with Ottawa
• Residential school students still want apology, compensation

"They want to bring some closure to it," he told reporters on Tuesday. "And they were desperate to find any means of self-healing, and I think this is a major, major component of that healing process."

Lawyers representing the residential school survivors and the federal government reached a $50-million settlement this week after a lengthy class action suit.

The money will be split between the lawyers and as many as 900 people who could be eligible for compensation. More money will be allocated for reconciliation and healing.

Apology 'vital'

Although lawyers can't force an apology from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, many are expecting he will offer one.

Not only the pain and suffering of the experience, but the long-hard fight to get to that recognition.- Randy Edmunds

Newfoundland and Labrador was left out of the apology that former Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave in 2008.

Edmunds says an apology is vital.

"[They were] left out initially, and then [had] to go through not only the pain and suffering of the experience, but the long hard fight to get to that recognition," he said.

"I think it's very important."

The settlement is for students who were residents at the Newfoundland and Labrador schools between 1949 and 1979. Those schools were located in Labrador and St. Anthony.

A Supreme Court justice will rule in September if the deal will be accepted.