Fort Albany woman regains access to funds

Agnes Sutherland has regained control of her bank account.
Since 2010, the estate of the 57-year-old Fort Albany First Nation member has been in the care of the Public Guardian and Trustee for Ontario, and she could not directly access the $97,000 she received in residential school compensation.
Last week, she received a letter indicating that she is no longer under the care of the trustee “effective immediately.”
The letter came weeks after her story appeared in local media and her lawyer, Sharon Sabourin, had an application issued at federal court to rescind the trusteeship.
Sutherland was appointed the trustee when she struggled with alcohol addiction and was admitted into a mental health unit in Timmins. A required assessment was conducted and the physician found she did not have the mental capacity to manage her property.
Sutherland recovered from her alcoholism and was reassessed last year but was still under the trustee despite repeated requests to remove it.
Prior to her story appearing in media, Sutherland was homeless and only received $85 a week from the trustee.
Sabourin said her office received the letter stating that “due to the recent capacity assessment,” the Public Guardian and Trustee for Ontario was closing its file with Sutherland “effective immediately.”