Posted By TREVOR PRITCHARD

A Children's Aid Society caseworker told the Cornwall Public Inquiry her co-workers strongly urged her not to take the stand at the long-running sexual abuse probe.

"Look what they did to Perry Dunlop. Look what they did to Heidi Sebalj," said Geraldine Fitzpatrick. "(They said) you're putting yourself out there for a hanging."

Fitzpatrick was cross-examined Friday by CAS lawyer Peter Chisholm about information she allegedly learned during 23 years with the agency.

Earlier this week, Fitzpatrick testified that a CAS worker named Carole Leblanc had turned away a man who was alleging he was sexually abused as a boy by a Cornwall-area priest.

That man, David Silmser, later went to Cornwall police in December 1992.

Fitzpatrick said she learned on two occasions the CAS had rebuffed Silmser: first from Sebalj, who investigated the allegations, and then from Leblanc herself.

Chisholm asked Fitzpatrick what her relationship was with Leblanc.

"We had our differences," she said, adding Leblanc had disciplined her for something she saw as "a crock."

"That's different from what she told me," said Fitzpatrick.

Nicknamed "Digger" for her investigative skills, Fitzpatrick has testified at length about a meeting she had with Sebalj and a former CAS ward, Jeannette Antoine, in 1993.

At that meeting, Antoine made allegations of widespread abuse at a Second Street group home in the 1970s.

Chisholm pointed out that Fitzpatrick had only second-hand knowledge of some of her most damning testimony -that the CAS paid one of Antoine's alleged abusers his salary for two years after he resigned, and that Antoine was given a large financial settlement.

"He didn't tell me where he got his information," she said.

Cornwall police lawyers also challenged Fitzpatrick's testimony that Sebalj -who is unable to testify for health reasons -felt unable to tell her supervisor about the Antoine interview because he sat on the CAS board.

Fitzpatrick's own attorney, James Katz, asked his client if she'd believed Sebalj.

When you have a CSIS agent tell you...

"that the CAS paid one of Antoine's alleged abusers his salary for two years after he resigned, and that Antoine was given a large financial settlement."

Even though these allegations were flatly denied in testimony...they originated from a CSIS agent.

There's something to this!!!

CSIS doesn't pass around rumour and induendos!!!

WHAT'S UP???? 

I just wish there was some way of getting the many others, "who have something to say" to "speak out"......and if only everyone had felt "safe" to disclose information such as yours earlier in time. However, now is better than never. Way-to-go Ms. Fitzpatrick. 

Fascinating testimony! 

Just asking. 

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