No Westray Families Settlement

Government will not settle with Westray families who have filed lawsuits against the province, Labour Minister Russell MacKinnon announced today. A settlement offer of $13 million was proposed by the lead counsel for the families.

"We are deeply sorry for the Westray disaster and the sorrow it has brought to so many families," said Mr. MacKinnon. "We care about the Westray families and their situation. Our main concern was that the families have the financial resources to carry on. We believe that various financial support programs have helped provide this assistance."

The Westray Public Inquiry Report noted that surviving families have and will receive benefits through the workers' compensation system (between $13.3 million and $15 million) and Canada Pension Plan (about $5 million).

"This was an extremely difficult decision to make. There was a lot of debate and discussion," said the minister. "Offering compensation would set a dangerous precedent for the future. We needed to make a decision that's in the best interests of the taxpayers now and in the future."