Coalition should stay

Editorial

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

01 December 2007

It's a shame the Coalition for Action is considering pulling out of the Cornwall Public Inquiry.

The coalition seems to have a genuine goal - it's a citizen's group which has banded together to advocate for the rights of victims of sexual abuse.

But it was only granted standing at the inquiry in September - at a time when other parties could measure their length of time devoted to the hearings in years.

This late entry into proceedings has created a huge headache for the coalition.

"We are too far behind the eight-ball and at such a disadvantage against the power and might of the institutions that we will concede," group spokesperson Carson Chisholm told Commissioner Normand Glaude at the inquiry Friday. "We cannot afford to adequately represent the people and have been jerked around too often and for too long to have the belly to continue with this charade."

Tough words. But could this be a case of the coalition not getting what it wants, so it's taking its ball and going home? The coalition applied in October to hire Chisholm as a paralegal, or a researcher, so it could play catch-up to the rest of the parties who have had standing at the inquiry for the past two years.

The group was denied Wednesday after requesting funding a second time.

Frank Horn, the lawyer for the Coalition for Action, said he was in Ottawa when Chisholm made his public announcement. Horn wouldn't say much when asked if he knew Chisholm was going to do this, but said the group members are the ones who will make the final decisions, as he is "just the lawyer." An official decision on the group's future at the inquiry is expected next week.

Chisholm is well known for being a firebrand. But he may have gone too far this time.

The coalition has a well-meaning mandate - to help abuse victims.

The best place to do this is at the inquiry.