SQLFusion - Three years 175 witnesses later inquiry nears end

Three years, 175 witnesses later, inquiry nears end

Testimony wraps up in Cornwall sex-abuse scandal; lawyers' final submissions next

The Ottawa Citizen

30 January 2009

By Neco Cockburn

After almost three years, the Cornwall inquiry into the institutional response to allegations of historic sexual abuse heard from its final witness yesterday.

The long-running inquiry resumes next month with lawyers' final submissions. Inquiry head Justice Normand Glaude has until July 31 to submit his report and recommendations.

Judge Glaude heard testimony from about 175 witnesses ranging from victims of sexual abuse to contextual experts and current and former officials at institutions such as the Alexandria-Cornwall Catholic Diocese, Ontario Provincial Police, Cornwall police, Ministry of the Attorney General, Upper Canada District School Board and Children's Aid Society.

"We had a very large mandate, and a challenging one. It dealt with the institutional response of abuse cases for over 50 years," said lead commission counsel Peter Engelmann. "We've heard about the institutional response of individual institutions, we've also heard about how they, as institutions, need to act together to deal with this issue. There's a lot of material to work with here."

The inquiry was called in 2005 and testimony started in February 2006. Counselling support and workshops have also taken place throughout the proceedings, Mr. Engelmann said.

In October, Ontario Attorney General Chris Bentley ordered the inquiry to finish testimony by today, which had been the date targeted by Judge Glaude.

Involved parties had hoped for more time to write their final submissions, but Mr. Bentley denied their request.

One important witness the inquiry did not hear from was former Cornwall police officer Perry Dunlop, whose investigation of an alleged pedophile ring had helped to touch off a sex scandal in the city.

Mr. Dunlop was jailed for more than seven months for contempt of court after refusing to testify at the inquiry, saying he had lost faith in the judicial process.

Mr. Engelmann said the inquiry "just decided to put in as many of the documents as we could" that related to Mr. Dunlop, through witnesses and additional documents such as transcripts, notes and affidavits.