Testimony Is Complete At Cornwall Public Inquiry

Local news – AM 1220

January 29, 2009 — The testimony is complete at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. The last witness finished his testimony at 5pm this afternoon. Deputy Attorney General Murray Segal talked about child sex abuse prosecutions in Cornwall. He says he was not aware of a feeling that there was not enough victim services during the O.P.P. Project Truth investigation. Lawyers then finished the day with some paperwork matters. The AM 1220 News Center's Shannon Simpson says there's still a lot of work ahead. (Hear audio clip below) Commissioner Normand Glaude will then deliver his final report at the end of July.

[Transcript of audio clip:  The lawyers are done hearing from the witnesses.  They’re not done.  They still have a lot of work ahead of them. Right now they will prepare their final report, and they will make submissions to the com at the end of February with their version of  the events and their recommendations]

Cornwall sex-abuse inquiry hears final witness

CBCnews.ca

Last Updated: Thursday, January 29, 2009 | 5:30 PM ET

CBC News

A high-profile public inquiry concerning sexual abuse allegations in an eastern Ontario community has heard its final witness — almost three years after it began.

The Cornwall Public Inquiry was scheduled to wrap up after hearing from Murray Segal, Ontario's deputy attorney general, who testified Thursday afternoon.

He was the last of about 170 witnesses who have taken the stand since the inquiry began on Feb. 13, 2006. It was launched in order to examine how public institutions responded to dozens of allegations of sexual abuse in the community made over decades.

The 15 parties with standing in the inquiry were expected to return in February to put forward their final oral and written submissions, said inquiry spokeswoman Joan Weinman.

Commissioner Normand Glaude, a regional senior judge for the northeast region of Ontario, is expected to issue a report to the province of Ontario at the end of July containing recommendations based on the testimony.

The allegations of abuse, which span decades starting in the 1950s, were investigated in high-profile police operations, including one dubbed Project Truth.

That investigation yielded over 100 charges against more than a dozen men but resulted in only a handful of convictions. The investigation found no evidence to support rumours that a pedophile ring was operating in the community.

Since the inquiry opened, it has been criticized for delays and the aggressive way some witnesses were allegedly cross examined.

One key witness, Perry Dunlop, a former Cornwall police officer, was convicted of civil and criminal counts of contempt of court and served jail time after refusing to testify before the inquiry. 

Project truth hears from last witness 

Toronto Star 

Jan 29, 2009 02:49 PM  

THE CANADIAN PRESS

CORNWALL– After more than 300 days of testimony and more than 3,300 exhibits, the Cornwall Public Inquiry is in its last hours of testimony.

The last witness is Deputy Attorney General Murray Segal, who says he was not aware of a feeling that there were not enough victim services during the Project Truth investigation looking into allegations of a pedophile ring.

Provincial police laid more than 100 charges against 15 men from the Cornwall, Ont., area.

Only one suspect was convicted, and he was not connected to an alleged pedophile ring.

The inquiry, which has heard from nearly 180 witnesses, was established in 2005 to look at how a number of public institutions, including the provincial justice system, handled historical sexual abuse allegations.

Lawyers will come back at the end of February to deliver their final submissions.  

After more than 300 days of testimony, inquiry hears from last witness

Penticton Herald  

By THE CANADIAN PRESS

Thursday, January 29, 2009  

CORNWALL, Ont. - After more than 300 days of testimony and more than 3,300 exhibits, the Cornwall Public Inquiry is in its last hours of testimony.

The last witness is Deputy Attorney General Murray Segal, who says he was not aware of a feeling that there were not enough victim services during the Project Truth investigation looking into allegations of a pedophile ring.

Provincial police laid more than 100 charges against 15 men from the Cornwall, Ont., area.

Only one suspect was convicted, and he was not connected to an alleged pedophile ring.

The inquiry, which has heard from nearly 180 witnesses, was established in 2005 to look at how a number of public institutions, including the provincial justice system, handled historical sexual abuse allegations.

Lawyers will come back at the end of February to deliver their final submissions. 

Cornwall sex-abuse inquiry hears final witness 

AOL Canada

News Source: CBC News 

Posted: 01/29/09 5:30PM 

Filed Under: Canada

A high-profile public inquiry concerning sexual abuse allegations in an eastern Ontario community has heard its final witness - almost three years after it began.

The Cornwall Public Inquiry was scheduled to wrap up after hearing from Murray Segal, Ontario's deputy attorney general, who testified Thursday afternoon.

He was the last of about 170 witnesses who have taken the stand since the inquiry began on Feb. 13, 2006. It was launched in order to examine how public institutions responded to dozens of allegations of sexual abuse in the community made over decades.

The 15 parties with standing in the inquiry were expected to return in February to put forward their final oral and written submissions, said inquiry spokeswoman Joan Weinman.

Commissioner Normand Glaude, a regional senior judge for the northeast region of Ontario, is expected to issue a report to the province of Ontario at the end of July containing recommendations based on the testimony.

The allegations of abuse, which span decades starting in the 1950s, were investigated in high-profile police operations, including one dubbed Project Truth.

That investigation yielded over 100 charges against more than a dozen men but resulted in only a handful of convictions. The investigation found no evidence to support rumours that a pedophile ring was operating in the community.

Since the inquiry opened, it has been criticized for delays and the aggressive way some witnesses were allegedly cross examined.

One key witness, Perry Dunlop, a former Cornwall police officer, was convicted of civil and criminal counts of contempt of court and served jail time after refusing to testify before the inquiry.