October 22, 2008 — Did politics play a role when the Children's Aid Society was investigating child sex abuse allegations? Diocese lawyer David Sherriff-Scott suggested that may have been the case in the 90's. Sherriff Scott asked former CAS worker Greg Bell why allegations against a priest were dealt with differently than a school teacher. Sherriff Scott says Bell interviewed a number of altar boys when an area priest was accused of abuse but Bell "did not do anything" with respect to students at a local school when a teacher was accused. While Bell was on the stand at the Cornwall Public Inquiry yesterday, Sherriff-Scott asked why there was a difference. (Hear audio clip below) MacDonald is the priest. Charges against him were stayed when a judge ruled the case took too long to get to trial. Meanwhile, inquiry staff still believe hearings will wrap by the end of January with a final report in September. Hearings continue this morning at 9:30.  

[Transcript of audio clip:     

MR. SHERRIFF-SCOTT: Was Charles MacDonald a more politically hot potato for you, that you felt you  needed to deal with as opposed to Marcel Lalonde? Why is  there a difference in the decisions here between the two institutions? I’m not clear on that. 

MR. BELL: I don’t remember the specifics of why, but my understanding would be that we didn’t have enough to warrant that degree of intrusion at that point.  ]