Brunet defends decision to place Sebalj at head of Silmser investigation

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

04 April 2008

Posted By Trevor Pritchard

A Cornwall cop with only two months' experience investigating sexual assaults ended up being the only practical choice to handle the David Silmser case, the Cornwall Public Inquiry heard Thursday.

But Staff Sgt. Luc Brunet said he was confident Const. Heidi Sebalj could handle the high-stakes investigation into Silmser's allegations against Rev. Charles MacDonald and probation officer Ken Seguin.

"She wanted to improve her skills," said Brunet, who ran the Cornwall Police Service's criminal investigations branch (CIB) from 1993 to 1999.

"She was a very talented young lady. She was very intelligent. I felt she did have the ability to do this investigation."

In December 1992, Silmser told police that MacDonald had sexually abused him while he was an altar boy two decades earlier at St. Columban's Parish.

Brunet took over the CIB in January 1993, and was immediately faced with the task of finding an officer to lead the Silmser investigation.

Brunet told commission counsel Pierre Dumais Thursday that the entire force was dealing with a backlog of incomplete investigations, brought on by surging crime rates and a shortage of officers.

The number of charges laid in January 1991 had more than doubled two years later, he said, from 117 to 270.

On his second day on the job, Brunet received a memo from Joseph St. Louis, the force's deputy chief at the time, urging him to move quickly on the Silmser case.

"I realize the heavy workload in CIB," St. Louis wrote. "But this could possibly turn into an Alfred-type situation. Therefore please assign ASAP."

St. Louis was referring to the infamous St. Joseph's Training School in Alfred, Ont., said Brunet, where children were physically and sexually abused for five decades by the Christian brothers in charge.

Brunet said he chose Sebalj because the two senior officers in the force's youth bureau, Kevin Malloy and Ron Lefebvre, were wrapped up in a homicide case.

"I had to look for somebody who could be available to start right away," he said.

Brunet said the two other officers - Malloy in particular - were there to assist Sebalj if she needed help, despite their heavy workloads.

"You would take the time to speak to the other officer and help them. I don't think that's unreasonable (to expect) and I don't see a problem with that," said Brunet.

Cornwall police never laid charges against either MacDonald or Seguin, although MacDonald was charged with a number of sex crimes in 1996 during the OPP's Project Truth probe.

A judge stayed those charges in 2002 after determining they'd taken too long to come to trial. Seguin committed suicide in 1993.

Four months after Sebalj concluded her investigation, an Ottawa police officer was assigned to review how the force handled Silmser's allegations.

Supt. Brian Skinner testified in February that there were "systemic" problems with the investigation - including that Sebalj was vastly unprepared to handle a case of that magnitude.

Brunet is scheduled to return to the stand when the inquiry resumes this morning.

Article ID# 970980

Comments on this Article.

Correct me if I am wrong but Const. Heidi Sebalj has not and I bet will not be asked to testify. Correct me if I am wrong but she is under mental duress.

Correct me if I am wrong but She has not been asked to appear and Perry goes to jail for being under duress...tell you anything?

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