THE CORNWALL PUBLIC INQUIRY     Ontario        L’ENQUÊTE PUBLIQUE SUR CORNWALL 

STATEMENT OF

COMMISSIONER G. NORMAND GLAUDE 

OCTOBER 18, 2007 

GOOD MORNING. IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN, THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY.  

WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST OF OUR MEETINGS IN MAY, SARAH KAPLAN FROM THE CORNWALL HOSPITAL REMINDED US WITH HER “SEEDS OF CHANGE” CAMPAIGN THAT MAY IS A MONTH TO HOPE WE CAN ALLMAKE A DIFFERENCE IN INCREASING AWARENESS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. 

RECENTLY, IN PREPARATION FOR OUR SECOND “BUILDING HOPE, TRUST AND PRIDE” MEETING, MEHROON KASSAM REMINDED US THAT OCTOBER IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. 

SO CLEARLY, ONE THING WE DO WELL IN PHASE 2 – HEALING ANDRECONCILIATION – IS FINDING THE RIGHT MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS! 

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EXCEPT FOR THIS – EVERY MONTH SHOULD SEE US MAKE PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS. IT SHOULD BE WITH US CONSTANTLY – WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP CHILD ABUSE AND WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED. HOW TO INTERVENE OR STOP A PATTERN OF SEXUAL ABUSE. HOW TO CARE FOR THOSE HURT AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND TO ENSURE THAT SUPPORT CONTINUES AND EXTENDS TO ADULT SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. 

NO EASY ANSWERS. BUT ONE THING I THINK I KNOW – IT’S NOT ONLY THE WORK OF THE CHILD, THEIR FAMILY, OR THE ADULT SURVIVOR AND HIS OR HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY, OR THE WORK OF A FEW OVERWORKED PROFESSIONALS – IT’S THE WORK OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. 

SO I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT A COMMUNITY COULD LOOK LIKE THAT TAKES THIS TO HEART. 

IT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE START TO TALK – ANDLISTEN. THERE WOULD BE NO TURNING AWAY FROM TOUGH ISSUES – BUT ALSO NO “GIVING UP” – OR “TALKING OVER” OTHERS. 

IT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE KEEP TALKING –RESPECTFULLY – EVEN WHEN THEY DISAGREE, EVEN WHEN THERE IS - 3 – LITTLE TRUST. WHY? BECAUSE THE GOAL – AND ULTIMATELY THERESULT-- IS WORTH IT. AND BECAUSE HOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT DIVIDES THEM CAN MOVE A COMMUNITY FROM DESTRUCTIVE DRIFTING TO CONSTRUCTIVE PURPOSE. 

IT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY THAT CELEBRATES AND ADMIRES THOSE WHO STEP UP AND MAKE A COMMITMENT. AND GIVES THOSE PEOPLE SUPPORT, WITH THANKS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, WORK – AND SOMETIMES CONSTRUCTIVE DISAGREEMENT. NOT “ROADBLOCK” ADVICE, BUT ADVICE THAT TRIES TO OPEN ANOTHER DOOR TO MOVE AHEAD. 

IT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE PAIN OF THE PAST, AND THE WIDE RANGE OF REASONS FOR THIS PAIN, BUT LOOKS FORWARD TO A FUTURE OF HOPE, TRUST AND PRIDE. 

COULD THIS BE CORNWALL? THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS IT COULD BE. TO TELL YOU WHY WE THINK THAT, LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD AT SOME NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETINGS LAST MONTH. 

MY ADVISORY PANEL HAD FOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETINGS HERE IN CORNWALL. WE HELD THEM ON THE ADVICE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HOW WE RUN PHASE 2 AND THOUGHT THESE MEETINGS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF HEALING 

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AND RECONCILIATION. THEY SUGGESTED WE SHOULD LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE THINKING. THEY ALSO URGED US TOBE OPEN AND JUST SEE WHO WOULD SHOW UP. SO THESE NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETINGS WERE OPEN MEETINGS – EVERYONE WELCOME. 

INTERESTINGLY, SINCE HOLDING THESE MEETINGS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID “ME TOO” AND “WE WANT A MEETING”. SO IF WE CAN, THERE WILL BE MORE OPEN NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETINGS IN CORNWALL – PERHAPS SOME MEETINGS IN STORMONT, DUNDAS & GLENGARRY – AND A CLOSED MEETING FOR SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO I CAN SAY ONE IMPORTANT THING – PEOPLE ARE TALKING. AND WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THE TALKING CAN LEAD TO ACTION. 

WHEN I SAY ACTION, IT’S NOT JUST PROJECTS – ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME GREAT PROJECTS BEING DISCUSSED – IT IS ALSO ABOUTSUSTAINABLE CHANGE THAT COMES FROM REBUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, REBUILDING TRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND ITS INSTITUTIONS, BETWEEN SURVIVORS AND INSTITUTIONS, BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SURVIVORS. AND IT’S ABOUT MORE INFORMATION AND AWARENESS – TOOLS TO STOP ABUSE OR TO DEAL WITH THE HARM IT CAUSES. OR TOOLS TO HARNESS PEOPLE’S GREATER AWARENESS AND WILLINGNESS TO ACT BY GIVING THEM PRACTICAL THINGS TO DO. 

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MANY OF YOU DID ATTEND THESE NEIGHBOURHOOD MEETINGS. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. WHAT WAS SAID AT EACH MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. BUT I WANT TO GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU TALKED. AND BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT BEING OPEN, WE’LL SET OUT THE WORRIES AND THE CAVEATS – THE “YES – BUT” AREAS -- AS WELL AS THE AREAS OF VISION AND POTENTIAL: 

THE WORRIES: 

·      TRUST IS GROWING BUT IT IS FRAGILE – PEOPLE SAID THEY WANT TO BELIEVE BUT THEY NEED PROOF OF CHANGE AND A PLAN OF ACTION. 

·       PEOPLE ARE PLEASED THERE IS TALK – ESPECIALLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING FOR THE FIRST TIME – BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR “ALL TALK, NO ACTION”, AND SO WANT PROOF OF GOOD INTENTIONS AND PROSPECTS OF CHANGE. 

·      PEOPLE UNDERSTAND “LOOK FORWARD” BUT WORRY THIS COULD BE INTERPRETED AS “FORGET THE PAST” – THEY CANNOT FORGET THE PAST – OR THEY WANT TO LEARN FROM THE PAST. 

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·      PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE – THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDABLE RESPONSE – WHAT’S IN THIS FOR ME? WHAT DO I GET? ARE PEOPLE GIVING ME WHAT I WANT? HOW WILL THIS AFFECT ME? WILL I GET MORE THAN I GIVE? OR IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND? WILL I “LOSE OUT”? 

·      PEOPLE ALSO SAID – AND THIS IS TOUGH – YOU ARE NOT TALKING ENOUGH ABOUT THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED ABUSE AND THEIR LIFE JOURNEY. 

·       AND PEOPLE ALSO SAID WE ARE TALKING TOO MUCH ABOUT THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED ABUSE – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND ALSO ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO NOW – PEOPLE SAY: WE’VE HEARD, NOW “LET’S GET GOING!” PARTICULARLY, THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING GOING IN PREVENTION. 

WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU’RE TALKING! 

AND WHAT’S MORE, THERE ARE SOME CONCRETE THINGS ON THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT. HERE IS A SMALL SAMPLE: 

·       A YOUTH CENTRE – OR IN SOME NEIGHBOURHOOD PARTICIPANTS’ VIEWS, A COMMUNITY CENTRE – A “SIGNATURE PIECE” THAT SAYS -

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“OUR PAST IS NOT OUR FUTURE – BUT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM OUR PAST”. 

·       A FIRST RESPONSE SERVICE – TO SUPPORT THOSE SUFFERING CHILDHOOD ABUSE – CHILDREN, YOUTH OR ADULTS – IN FINDING SERVICES AND NAVIGATING WHAT CAN FEEL LIKE A DIFFICULT SYSTEM WHEN CARRYING THE BURDEN OF ABUSE. 

·      A SAFE HOUSE FOR MEN, COMBINING A RESIDENCE, DROP-IN, PLACE FOR THE ARTS, SELF-HELP, AND ACCESS TO COUNSELLING. 

·      EXPANDED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS – FOR PROFESSIONALS, FOR THE PUBLIC, AND FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH – AND A PUBLIC SESSION THAT SHOWS HOW THINGS WOULD BE HANDLED TODAY IF AN ALLEGATION OF HISTORIC OR CURRENT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE WAS MADE. PEOPLE SEEK INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT POSITIVE CHANGE IN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOURS. 

·       A VISION OF A RENEWED CORNWALL – TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF ITS BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT AND ITS HISTORICAL BILINGUAL HERITAGE – A PLACE OF INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GET-TOGETHERS THAT DRAW TOURISTS, A BOTANICAL GARDEN CENTRE TO COMBINE WORK OPPORTUNITIES, SELF-HELP AND A PLACE FOR SENIORS, A PLACE OF GROWING PROSPERITY AND SELF-

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WORTH – A COMMUNITY CULTURE OF CARING, CONFIDENCE, AND COOPERATION. 

SO, I’M SAYING THE VISION IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE WORRIES AND CAVEATS. IT’S NOT PERFECT – BECAUSE THIS IS REAL LIFE AND CHANGE IS ALWAYS UNEVEN. BUT I THINK IT CAN HAPPEN. I TRUST IT CAN HAPPEN. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK PEOPLE IN CORNWALL ARE BEGINNING TO TRUST IT CAN HAPPEN. 

BUT WHAT CAN PHASE 2 OF THE CORNWALL PUBLIC INQUIRY DO TO MOVE YOU THERE? WHAT CAN MY ADVISORY PANEL MEMBERS DO? YOU KNOW IT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PANEL – ONE COMMITTED TO BEING OF VALUE TO THIS COMMUNITY. 

WE HAVE LONG SAID WE ARE COMMITTED TO “MADE IN CORNWALL” SOLUTIONS FOR HEALING AND RECONCILIATION. SO WE CAN HEAR AND SUPPORT AND FACILITATE. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN THE INQUIRY LEAVES CORNWALL, AS THE COMMISSIONER OF YOUR CORNWALL PUBLIC INQUIRY, I CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. 

BUT CLEARLY I WANT THESE TO BE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAN GO SOMEWHERE, THAT HAVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THAT CONTRIBUTE TO 

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REBUILDING TRUST, THAT MAKE PEOPLE FEEL PROUD OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITY – AND THAT PEOPLE HERE IN CORNWALL WILL OWN. AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING AND AGREEING – OR DISAGREEING. AND EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TALKING YET. 

FRANKLY, THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY. DON’T LET IT PASS BY. AND THE SUCCESS OF THIS COMMUNITY CAN BE A MODEL FOR OTHERS. THIS IN ITSELF IS AN INSPIRATION – TO LEAD IN A WAY THAT HELPS OTHER COMMUNITIES PREVENT CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE OR TEACHES OTHERS HOW TO REDUCE THE HARM WHEN IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED OR SHOWS OTHERS HOW A COMMUNITY CAN CHOOSE A FUTURE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. 

YOU CAN BE THE COMMUNITY THAT SAYS – AND ACTS ON – THESEWORDS: 

·       PREVENTING THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS 

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·       ADDRESSING THE HARM WHEN IT OCCURS MATTERS TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, NO MATTER THE CURRENT AGE OF THOSE AFFECTED 

·       REBUILDING TRUST IN COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS AND EACH OTHER CAN IMPROVE ALL OUR LIVES 

·       WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AWAY BUT DEALT WITH ISSUES, AND ARE PROUD OF THAT EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES

I WILL TAKE A RISK AND CHALLENGE YOU TO BUILD A RENEWED VISION AND CREATE A FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT NO ONE – NO COMMISSIONER AND NO GOVERNMENT – CAN FAIL TO SUPPORT.