Vancouver archdiocese, Catholic school deny wrongdoing in sex abuse case; sue alleged abusers
Vancouver archdiocese, Catholic school deny wrongdoing in sex abuse case; sue alleged abusers
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver is seen on Thursday, June 8, 2017.
The Archdiocese of Vancouver and a private Catholic school have denied wrongdoing over claims of sexual abuse from former students and have filed their own lawsuits against the alleged abusers.
The archdiocese and St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby filed separate lawsuits last week against the men who belonged to a Catholic order and transferred to B.C. from Mount Cashel, the Newfoundland orphanage notorious for the sexual abuse that took place there.
The claims come soon after a court certified a class-action lawsuit by students, naming the archdiocese, St. Thomas More Collegiate and others as defendants, alleging abuse by members of the Christian Brothers at the school and Vancouver College, another Catholic private institution.
The statement of claim filed by the archdiocese denies it oversaw the two schools or had any authority over major decisions and names six men as well as the B.C. government as defendants, saying the Ministry of Education had the authority to inspect private schools and to revoke or suspend teachers' certificates.
The claim filed by St. Thomas More Collegiate names five men as well as the Christian Brothers and its branches in Canada and North America, saying it is unaware of any specific instances of abuse by members of the religious order - but the defendants themselves would be at fault for any abuse that did occur.
The lawsuits, whose claims have not been proven in court, say the archdiocese and St. Thomas More Collegiate are seeking a declaration that they're entitled to indemnity against the claims made in the class-action lawsuit.
The class-action, which was certified by a B.C. Supreme Court judge this month, alleges that senior members of the Christian Brothers orchestrated the transfers of the six men, despite knowing about the abuse they perpetrated at Mount Cashel.
It says the Christian Brothers did not act to protect children in their care, but to protect the abusers from criminal charges by moving them out of Newfoundland.
The class-action lawsuit says one of the six men, Edward English, confessed to abusing children at Mount Cashel before he was transferred, and all six were later convicted of sexually or physically abusing orphans at the Newfoundland facility.
The court action was filed on behalf of all students enrolled at St. Thomas More Collegiate between 1976 and 1989 who claim they were physically or sexually abused by current or former members of the Christian Brothers, and students who allege abuse while enrolled at Vancouver College between 1976 and 2013.
The class members have suffered significant damage, it says, including pain and suffering, psychological injuries, addiction issues, inability to have normal and healthy sexual development, as well as spiritual trauma and loss of faith.
The claim says the plaintiffs want a declaration that English abused them, and the defendants are liable for that abuse, as well as an award for damages for negligence, health care costs and punitive and aggravated damages.
The response to the lawsuit filed by Vancouver College denies that any breach of common law or statutory duty on its part contributed to the alleged abuses.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2023.
The federal government will be providing $1.5 million to Pride organizations across the country for increased security measures at parades and other events this year, CTV News has learned.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to provide an update on the wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes and caused widespread property damage in several provinces.
Newly released documents say the intelligence community's relationship with its key watchdog has been particularly strained over the last year due to a 'level of resistance' to scrutiny.
Special teams played a difference on Sunday night as the United States scored two short-handed goals en route to a 6-1 victory over Canada in the World Para Hockey Championship gold-medal game.
Jessica Tuomela is a swimmer and triathlete, and has been on the podium at the Paralympics, but says the feeling returning a missing person home safely is no comparison.
A public meeting will give Calgarians an inside look into the exact details of an agreement in principle that could land the city a new event centre, but critics are already skeptical of the cost breakdown.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has announced a plan to protect iconic Prairie grasslands, considered one of the most endangered and least protected ecosystems in the country.
The federal government will be providing $1.5 million to Pride organizations across the country for increased security measures at parades and other events this year, CTV News has learned.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Air quality remains a concern in regions throughout Quebec, including the Greater Montreal area which is currently under a smog warning. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued smog warnings for the Greater Montreal Area, and special air quality statements are in effect for large portions of the province due to the growing number of forest fires.
The Montreal Canadiens announced Monday that the Habs agreed on terms to an 8-year contract extension with forward Cole Caufield that will pay him an average annual salary of $7.85 million.
After a long hockey season, most kids are done with the cold rinks by spring. But for the chance to rub shoulders with a locally grown hockey superstar, you dust off the gear and skate in June.
At the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention in February, reeves passed a resolution asking the Water Security Agency to require those who are illegally draining to remediate their unapproved works.
At the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities convention in February, reeves passed a resolution asking the Water Security Agency to require those who are illegally draining to remediate their unapproved works.
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
A much more seasonal week, temperature wise, is on the way for the London area. The sunshine remains but temperatures will drop a few degrees to between 20 C and 24 C — the normal for this time of year being around 24 C.
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
A wayward and unresponsive business plane that flew over the nation's capital Sunday afternoon caused the military to scramble a fighter jet before the plane crashed in Virginia, officials said. The fighter jet caused a loud sonic boom that was heard across the capital region.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver is seen on Thursday, June 8, 2017.
