THE CORNWALL PUBLIC INQUIRY
The Honourable G. Normand Glaude, Commissioner

L’ENQUÊTE PUBLIQUE SUR CORNWALL
L’honorable G. Normand Glaude, commissaire

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 13, 2006

Phase 2 of Cornwall Public Inquiry affords unique opportunity for healing and reconciliation

(Cornwall, ON) While most of the public’s attention is currently focused on the evidentiary hearings at the Cornwall Public Inquiry, behind the scenes plans are underway to create an environment for healing and reconciliation in Cornwall – a first of its kind undertaking in Ontario. Colleen Parrish, the Inquiry’s Director of Policy who heads up Phase 2 of the Inquiry, provided an overview of upcoming activities to support community healing during a media briefing today.

“The Cornwall Public Inquiry has a unique mandate that no public inquiry in Ontario has had – to support healing and reconciliation. That is what Phase 2 is all about,” Ms Parrish said. “In fulfilling that part of our mandate, we will be working with the parties at the Inquiry, those affected by childhood sexual abuse, professionals and the Cornwall community to contribute to creating a healing environment.”

According to Ms Parrish, Phase 2 of the Inquiry is focusing on a number of initiatives to foster community healing including:

• Counselling and witness support;

• Community dialogue to determine community needs, facilitated by the Inquiry’s Advisory Panel;

• Action-oriented research, education and training;

• Consultations on opportunities outside of formal evidentiary hearings to enable people affected by abuse or alleged abuse of young people in Cornwall to express their experiences and the impact those experiences have had on their lives; and

• Wide opportunities to make submissions on the most appropriate processes, services and/or programs to encourage community healing and reconciliation.

Already, a number of activities and services are under way including the availability of counselling and witness support services, the striking of an Advisory Panel which has already held about 30 community meetings, and a variety of public engagement and input opportunities to create an inclusive agenda of activities to foster healing and reconciliation in Cornwall.

Additional healing activities that are scheduled for the duration of 2006 and for the coming year include but are not limited to:

• Assessing existing counselling support, as promised at its inception, to look at how it has been run and the program’s continuation;

• A range of public meetings to further discussions on activities to help community healing and reconciliation;

• Creating an agenda of activities in which the public can participate and help shape.Following an invitation for public input and receiving it, a final version of that initial agenda and an invitation to those who want to do the some of the work will be posted
this week on the website;

• Public consultations on ways affected survivors and others in the community can “tell their stories” outside a formal hearings process; and

• Developing a process in which all the parties at the Inquiry and the public can make submissions about healing and reconciliation for the future.

“So far, these are the ideas we are working on to support healing and reconciliation for the Cornwall community,” Ms Parrish said. “However, because we are listening to people, we won’t be doctrinaire. If people give us better ideas, our own may change because Phase 2 must be seen as evolving – not just a list we ‘tick off’ over time. Phase 2 should also be seen as an opportunity to share this knowledge – and the inspiration – with others, outside of Cornwall and, perhaps, right across the country.”

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For more information:
Joan Weinman, G-4 Communications
(613) 244-5777 – office
(613) 294-5679 - cellular