Gerry Renshaw

Gerry was sexually molested by probation officer Ken Seguin

Sylvia’s Site

Blogging the Cornwall Public Inquiry

05 December 1996 Affidavit

of Gerry Renshaw (typos as in the original)

STATEMENT

GERALD WESLEY RENSHAW 06 December 1965

I, Gerald Wesley Renshaw, a.k.a. Gerry Renshaw, currently reside in the city of Cornwall Ontario. I am 30 years old.

I lived on the St. Lawrence River in Ken Seguin's home for approximately two years. I lived at Ken Seguins home from on or about late 1987 to early 1990.

During the time that I lived at Ken Seguin's home, Mr. Ron Leroux and Mr. Don Labelle were neighbours that lived one door away they were good friends of Ken Seguin. Mr. Fern Touchette was also a neighbour of Ken Seguin's, and a good friend.

On or about 1989-1990, I observed Malcolm MacDonald, Claude Shaver ( ex Chief of Police ) and Stuart MacDonald at Ken Seguin's home in Summerstown, Ontario. All three of them were standing at the north-west corner of Ken's front yard infront of Malcolm MacDonald's car. The car (Malcolm's) was a 1987 Fifth Avenue gun metal blue. It was a nice summer afternoon and I was returning from work at Richmond Diecasting in Summerstown, Ontario. I was returning from work to get a change of clothes. I remember seeing either one or two of them holding duffle bags. I said hello to them and I don't belive that they responded. I go inside Ken's home and get my change of clothes. I stay inside approximately five minutes and exit through the back door. As I go to my truck, I observe again Malcolm MacDonald, Claude Shaver and Stuart McDonald, still standing and talking in the same general area in the front yard of Ken's home. I then got into my truck and left.

I have observed Stuart McDonald, a police officer, at Ken Seguin's home on other occasions, at least twice.

I have observed Ron Wilson, owner of Wilson's funeral home, at Ken Seguin's home numerous times.

I have observed Claude Shaver, ex Chief of Police of Cornwall Ontario, at least three times.

I have observed Charles MacDonald, a catholic priest, at Ken Seguin's home once or twice a week.

I have observed Bishop Eugene LaRocque at Ken Seguin's home at least a half dozen times.

I have observed Kevin Maloney, a catholic priest, at Ken Seguin's home at least twice.

I have observed Malcolm MacDonald, lawyer and ex Crown Attorney, at Ken Seguin's home once or twice a week. Malcolm was like furniture at Ken's, he was always there.

I have observed David Ostler at least once at Ken Seguin's home. I was later informed that he was a priest.

I have observed David Latreille at Ken Seguin's house at least a dozen times. I have observed Ron Leroux at Ken Seguin's home daily.

I have observed Don Labelle at Ken Seguin's home at least twice weekly.

I have observed Ranald (Rory) MacDonald at Ken Seguin's home at least twice.

I have observed Joss VanDeepen, a probation officer in Cornwall, at Ken Seguin's home at least half a dozen times.

I have observed Cara Berry at Ken Seguin's home weekly. Cara Berry was at all relevant times my girlfriend.

I have observed Fern Touchette at Ken Seguin's home daily.

I have observed Al Laplante at Ken Seguin's home at least once a month.

I have observed Dale Crowder at Ken Seguin's home on numerous occasions. I have observed Norm Robertson at Ken's home on numerous occasions.

I have observed my two brothers, Fred Renshaw and Bobby Renshaw, at Ken Seguin's home at least every two months.

I have observed my sister Carole Deschamps, at Ken Seguin's home on several occasions.

I have observed Harvey Berry Jr. a.k.a. Pitou (P2) at least every two weeks.

I have observed a guy named Gino at least two or three times, once at Ken's and once or twice at St Andrew's parish house and also at the parish house in Williamstown. Gino would always come with David Latrielle.

I have observed David Morpaw at Ken Seguin's home on numerous occasions. I have observed XXXX [C-5] at Ken Seguin's home at least once. I have observed Mark Menard at Ken Seguin's home at least once a month.

I have observed Brian MacDonald at Ken Seguin's home at least half a dozen times.

I have observed several other people at Ken Seguin's house.

I have observed Andre Pommier, owner of a jewellery store in Cornwall, at Ken Seguin's Home. I also observed Andre Pommier at Malcolm MacDonald's Cottage, on Stanley Island, where on at least one occasion he spent the night.

I was introduced and met Daniel Flipson and Sylvain Flipson through Charles MacDonald. I was Introduced to Daniel and Sylvain at the Williamstown parish.

I have observed a beaten-up suitcase, brown or beige with a flop-over cover with a lock on it. I observed it in Ken's large closet in his bedroom. Ken advised me that he was being harassed by David Silmser. He stated that he was terrified of a criminal investigation and of losing his career and his family name. He advised me that he had to get rid of some video tapes that would implicate him. He also advised me that he had my probation records and that he had to destroy these as well. Approximately two days later, Ken advised me that my probation records were missing. Ken should not have had these records in the first place.

On or about late 1992, Charles MacDonald, Ken Seguin, Ron Leroux and Malcolm MacDonald are in Ken's living room and they are discussing the unfairness of charging a priest from Alfred twenty years later. I quickly responded "fuck that, they should go after them". After that you could hear the light bulbs. It was a dead silence. I then left the room.

Ken also talked about Perry Dunlop, the Police officer, after Perry went to C.A.S. Ken was terrified of being investigated. He said " fucking Dunlop I'm going to lose my career". It was approximately at this time Ken advised me about having to get rid of video tapes and my probation records.

On or about December 1993, I gave a statement to Chris McDonell an O.P.P. officer from Lancaster, there was also an Ottawa Police Officer there. The Ottawa Police officer advised me that there was a phone call between Ken Seguin and David Silmser. They interview me for no more that 15 minutes, short and sweet.

I am aware that Malcolm MacDonald, Ken Seguin, Ron Leroux, Don Labelle, Ron Wilson, Bishop Larocque, Charles MacDonald and David Latrielle would meet in Fort Lauderdale on different occasions.

I recognize and identify the following people from pictures that Perry Dunlop showed me:

#8 Bishop Eugene Larocque

#17 Murray MacDonald saw him at Ken's or Malcolm's cottage

#20 Father Charles MacDonald

#11 Father Kevin Maloney

#18 Malcolm MacDonald

#16 Ron Wilson

#10 Andre Pommier

#9 Stuart McDonald

#12 Bishop Eugene Larocque

#7 Stuart McDonald

#2 Claude Shaver

#6 Father Kevin Maloney

#21(b) Father David Ostler

I remember one time when this was going on that Malcolm was at Ken's home. There was a conversation taking place where Malcolm was saying" I've been talking to Shaver about Dunlop and you're worrying for nothing". I remember that Ken was still worried alot about the situation.

I got the impression from Ken that everything was coming to a boil. Ken indicated that Malcolm was going to retire and that he was aware that he was obstructing justice with this case. Ken said that the group was coming apart at the seams. I knew that they were homosexuals, but as I look back now I beleve in my heart and my gut that they were homosexual pedophiles.

The reason that I quit living at Ken Seguin's home was the fact that he was coming onto me sexually. I also felt pressure from my friends and co-workers who were constantly saying " what are you doing living with that queer, are you one?"

I saw alot of people that were on probation stop by at Ken's home. I saw alot of people who were ex-probationers stop by at Ken's home. Most of the probationers were 16 years of age and up.

I would have to say that Ken Seguin approached several of his probationers sexually. He would have had thousands of contacts over the years. I'm surprised that probation never investigated this entire mess.

As I look back now I knew things were coming to a boil. I thought Ken would do something drastic like leave. He told me he was in alot of shit. He never got into detail because he knew how I felt about people who touched kids or a pedophile. I told him to go to Floridia and open a bait shop. I knew why he killed himself before I even talked to Ron Leruox.

I make this statement of my own free will

Gerry Renshaw           05 December 1996

Transcripts of Gerry Renshaw testimony at the Cornwall Public Inquiry 

19 June 2007

20 June 2007

25 June 2007

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Gerry's sister Carole Hesse (Deschamps) testifed

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Media  

20 June 2007: Judge scolds lawyers at inquiry 

18 June 2007:  Cornwall Public Inquiry Sits This Week

Affidavit for Standing and Funding at the Cornwall Public Inquiry  

IN THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE EVENTS
SURROUNDING THE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OF YOUNG
PEOPLE IN CORNWALL, ONTARIO
AND
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR STANDING AND
FUNDING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE ABUSE 

AFFIDAVIT OF GERALD RENSHAW 

I, GERALD RENSHAW, of the Village of Cardinal, in the County of Leeds and Grenville, in the Province of Ontario, MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS: 

1.  I am one of the group of victims who was sexually abused (hereinafter referred to as "Victims Group") in the Cornwall area. 

2.  In 1981, at the age of sixteen, I was sexually abused by Ken Seguin, a parole officer with the Department of Corrections. This abuse continued for approximately twelve years. 

3.  The Victims Group seeks standing at this Inquiry to ensure that the perspective of the Victims Group is brought before the Inquiry. 

4.  As a victim of sexual abuse, my perspective includes the following: 

a.  The perpetration of sexual abuse by a person entrusted with my counselling and rehabilitation led to my complete distrust in the system. 

b.  If I had received help in dealing with the consequences of my abuse earlier on, then my life would have been different. My ongoing troubles with trusting and forming relationships with others may have been minimized.

6.  My poor coping mechanisms resulted in my inability to concentrate and led to poor performance in school. As a result of failing all subjects in school, I was asked to leave. This has resulted in my inability to maintain gainful employment. 

7.  Since the abuse I have struggled with low self-esteem and frequent nightmares. 

8.  I have difficulties with social relationships and my relationship with my family has been seriously affected by the abuse.In particular, I experienced a breakdown in the relationship with my son's mother. 

9.  As a result of the abuse, I suffer from a lack of drive, motivation and interest in life.

11.  Because of my status as a parolee, I did not report the abuse because I was fearful of not being believed. 

12.  I verily believe that the other victims of sexual abuse were poorly treated by the Courts when their cases came to trial and, as such, this has greatly discouraged me. I believe that these victims were called liars by those in authority. I have lost complete faith in the judicial system. 

13.  I believe that further details of my first hand experience as a victim dealing with the Cornwall police and justice system, which is the focus of Part I of this Inquiry, would be beneficial information for the Inquiry. I believe that my experiences and those of other victims must be canvassed by the Inquiry in order for it to fulfill its mandate. 

14.  My detailed experiences dealing with the police and justice institutions could be obtained by my testimony or the provision of a summary of my experiences. The provision of either would be most effective if counsel were provided to me as it would be to other victims.

14. [sic]   I verily believe that I need counselling. I am unable to receive that counselling I so desperately require because I do not have OHIP coverage and I do not have the personal means to fund this treatment.

16.   I further understand that I have the potential for a civil action or application for criminal injuries compensation and that those legal rights may be impacted by my participation within the Inquiry. Accordingly, I believe that I need access to legal counsel, as do other victims like me, in order to fairly participate without detrimental impact upon my civil and administrative remedies. 

17.  Having personally experienced the depths of the impact of sexual abuse and the related institutional failings, I, like other victims have the greatest motivation to see the system corrected and improved. 

18.  I strongly believe that there is no greater advocate for systematic improvement of the treatment, handling, and prosecution of sexual abuse cases than the victims themselves.

SWORN BEFORE ME at the City of Cornwall, in the United County of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, this 18th day of October,.2005 

A Commissioner, etc.                                                           GERALD RENSHAW