Terri Saunders

Local News - A lawyer for city police was the target of some terse words at the Cornwall Public Inquiry Tuesday, first from the commission's judge, then from a witness.

John Callaghan was attempting to question Keith Ouellette about allegations his life was threatened by two police officers in the 1970s, but had trouble getting permission to do so from Comm. Normand Glaude.

"This man has some serious problems and he makes up stories," said Callaghan. "I'm saying this one's made up, too."

At first, it appeared as if Glaude wasn't going to allow Callaghan, who has been representing the Cornwall Community Police Service at the inquiry, to examine, in detail, Ouellette's claims two officers picked him up at work and threatened to "put two bullets in (his) brain" unless he stopped making allegations of abuse against a city probation officer and an employment counselor.

Glaude said the commission's mandate is not to determine the truth of the allegations, but rather to look at institutional responses to abuse claims.

Callaghan wanted to suggest the story was entirely fabricated.

"The story about the two officers is . . . fictitious," said Callaghan.

"This man's got a lot of pent up anger against police."

Following a lunch break, Glaude told Callaghan he could address the threat allegations, but as the lawyer started to questions, Ouellette began suggesting his anger was justified.

"Even if I blew up and lost my temper, as a victim of a crime I have every right in the world to be angry," said Ouellette. "So, don't you criticize me or judge me."

Callaghan was trying to establish the reason Ouellette was looking to buy a gun in the time following the alleged incident with the two police officers.

"(Monday) you said you wanted the gun to defend yourself," said Callaghan.

"Today, you're saying you wanted the gun to settle a score with (former) Chief (Claude) Shaver."

"I wanted to defend myself after being told two bullets would be put into my brain," said Ouellette.

"Did you buy the gun?" asked Callaghan. "No," said Ouellette. "I had a change of heart."

At one point, Ouellette suggested Callaghan was deliberately trying to discredit him in an effort to protect his client.

"You're just trying to save your own skin," said Ouellette, "and you're doing a piss poor job of it."

A number of documents have been provided to the inquiry which suggest investigations were conducted into Ouellette's allegations against members of the police force and that his claims were determined to be unfounded.

In February 2000, Const. Bruce Cote wrote a letter to a senior officer in relation to the fact Ouellette had named him as one of the two officers involved in the alleged threatening incident.

"I have checked and the only time I can remember having dealt with Keith Ouellette was at the Cornwall General Hospital," Cote wrote to Sgt. Brian Snyder, referring to an incident during which officers were called to the emergency department after staff complained Ouellette was acting abusive and aggressive in the ER.

Cote said he and another police officer "stood by" while Ouellette was treated by staff members.

"This is my only involvement with this individual," Cote wrote.

Ouellette told the inquiry he doesn't put much stock in any documents provided to the commission by the police force.

"It's the practice of police to fabricate evidence and ignore the truth in order to discredit people like me," said Ouellette, who suggested Callaghan was not treating him fairly during cross-examination.

"I find this is hostile questioning, uncompassionate questioning, considering what victims have been through," Ouellette told Callaghan.

"I think you're extremely callous in your approach."

When asked by the commissioner what recommendations he had for the inquiry as to how institutions could better respond to allegations of abuse in the future, Ouellette said the money being used to conduct the inquiry could be put to better use. He suggested establishing a garden area somewhere in the city and building a home for survivors of abuse would make better use of the money.

"You could build a botanical garden and it could serve as a place of respite for survivors of abuse," said Ouellette, suggesting the home could be named in honour of another survivor of abuse who passed away recently.

"You could build Dick Nadeau House for these people. Their lives have been stolen; their childhoods have been stolen."

Ouellette said a lot of work will have to be done within the community to repair the relationship between its citizens and public institutions established to protect them. "You want us to trust these institutions which treated us like this?" asked Ouellette. "A lot would have to be done. I would say they have to put up or shut up."

The inquiry continues today with another witness who is expected to seek some form of identity protection.

More Allegations About Police Conduct

August 22, 2007 — Allegations leveled that "the Cornwall police are corrupt" at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. That statement from an alleged victim who continued his testimony yesterday. Keith Ouelette says that a number of men in the community abused him when he was younger. Yesterday, Cornwall police lawyer, John Callaghan, asked him about his dealings with the city cops. Ouelette says they buried his allegations but as you'll hear in the audio clip below, eventually commissioner Normand Glaude stepped in. The proceedings continue today.