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

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

PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2007 

CORNWALL EXAMPLE COULD IMPACT THE WAY ONTARIO AND CANADA DEALS WITH CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE 

Community dialogue starts work to find ‘made in Cornwall solutions’ to build future of hope, trust and pride 

(Cornwall, ON) A day-long meeting facilitated by the Cornwall Public Inquiry on May 2 titled “Building Hope, Trust and Pride” began what participants expect to be an continuing community dialogue to examine ways of developing – and implementing—a healing environment in Cornwall. Justice G. Normand Glaude, Commissioner of the Cornwall Public Inquiry, said it is his hope that work of the Inquiry will have an impact not only on the Cornwall community but also on how institutions and communities across the province and the country deal with the issue of child sexual abuse. 

The meeting, sponsored by Commissioner Glaude, and the Inquiry’s Advisory Panel, was designed to build on input from the previous year’s community consultations as part of the Inquiry’s Phase 2 work. 

As part of its mandate in what is called Phase 2, the Commission has been tasked with creating an environment to foster healing and reconciliation in the Cornwall community. Over the past year, the Commission, with the assistance of its Advisory Panel, has been engaged in developing an agenda for Phase 2, focusing on “creating an environment of hope for the future”. Last summer and fall, members of the Advisory Panel met with more than 35 community groups to receive their ideas.  The May 2 meeting involved more than 100 community representatives and residents, including a number of adults who have experience sexual abuse as children and youth. “In terms of looking forward, there is a real opportunity to focus on strengths including the positive outcomes that can come from Inquiry processes,” Commissioner Glaude said in his opening remarks.

 “There is real value – and something to be proud of – when people do not turn away, do not just pass by, and are willing to confront issues straight on. Other communities can benefit from that strength – and be inspired by example.” 

Before breaking into discussion groups, participants heard from Advisory Panel Member Dr. Peter Jaffe who discussed the impact of childhood sexual abuse. Mr. Jaffe underlined that while a community cannot change what happened, it can define itself by how it plans to deal with it in the future. The group sessions addressed three key themes: 

• Prevention – preventing abuse or reducing its impact by building resilience in youth, addressing vulnerabilities, strengthening community capacity and educating on risk; 

• Taking care of young victims and adult survivors – so that when abuse occurs or adults disclose past abuse, there is prompt response in services and in the justice system, supported by workable protocols that constructively engage all relevant participant, and that adult survivors feel respected and cared for; and 

• Building for long-term results – so that there is a more inclusive and less divided community, capable of sustainable management of healing, reconciliation and renewal in Cornwall, with functional and constructive relationships with relevant provincial ministries. 

Participants joined the theme-based groups based on their interests and areas of expertise to discuss those themes in the context of goal setting, establishing action timelines, identifying ‘champions’ to spearhead the work involved in each goal and presenting outcome reports to the group as a whole. Next steps will involve working meetings and other activities throughout the spring and summer, culminating in a larger community meeting to be held some time in October. 

“The community response and level of participation was heartening and action-oriented,” said Colleen Parrish, Director of Policy for the Inquiry. “People want to keep the process going and to see community renewal take place. There is a lot of work to do – but it is well worth doing. May 2 was the start we had hoped for. To get the results that the community wants, we have to keep working together.” 

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