CBC Radio
16 November 2006

Lawyers representing victims groups at the Cornwall inquiry weighed in on Father Charles MacDonald's request to have a publication ban put on his name.

The inquiry is looking into how public institutions responded to wide spread allegations of sexual abuse in the community.

Yesterday, his lawyers asked commissioner Normand Glaude to have MacDonald's name banished from the official record at the inquiry.

Mark Blackburn reports. . . .

Father Charles MacDonald has been in the news since 1994.

That's when news leaked that the church paid a former altar boy to keep quiet about being sexually assaulted by MacDonald.

Eventually, police charged him with more than a dozen sex related offences.

But after four years of delays, the judge threw the case out.

Because he was never convicted, the 73 year old former priest doesn't want his name dragged through this public inquiry.

James Foord is one of MacDonald's lawyers at the inquiry.

" THE APPLICANT WHO HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED FOR 14 YEARS IN THE MEDIA TO SOME EXTENT BY THE PROCESS THAT THIS COMMISSION SHOULD NOT UNNECESSARILY FACILITATE ANY FURTHER VICTIMIZATION "

Along with his name, any identifiers or allegations of criminal wrongdoing would also be kept from the public.

" THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY EXPECT THIS PROCEEDING TO TAKE PLACE IN PUBLIC "

That's the argument most lawyers made in responding to the motion.

If the ban is granted, most of the testimony having to do with MacDonald would be done behind closed doors.

Peter Wardle is a lawyer for the citizens for community renewal.

He says the commission cannot fulfill its mandate if this ban is approved:

" IT WOULD BE AN AFRONT TO THE PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS INQUIRY TO CLOTHE A CENTRAL FIGURE IN ANONYMITY "

" GOOD THEN LETS CALL IT A DAY."  Justice Normand Glaude closes the session.

On Friday he will announce whether Father Charles MacDonald will essentially disappear from the official record of the inquiry.

mark blackburn cbc news cornwall