Editorial

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

30 January 2009

Some startling evidence surfaced at the Cornwall Public Inquiry Wednesday that will no doubt make its way into Commissioner Normand Glaude's final report on how institutions responded to allegations of sexual abuse.

It came during examination of Jean-Paul Scott, retired school board superintendent and it speaks volumes about how not only the schools of the day dealt with sexual abuse complaints, but how society in general responded.

Robert Sabourin taught at La Citadelle secondary school in the 1960s and 1970s.

He abused countless young students, often right inside the school.

Eventually he was charged by Cornwall police and convicted, but in a plea bargain deal received what amounted to a slap on the wrist -- a relatively light jail sentence.

His name surfaced during testimony by victims and alleged victims.

On Wednesday the inquiry was told that Sabourin was provided with what amounted to as his private den, a darkroom complete with a locking device.

How Sabourin operated so long with impunity is mindboggling.

We learned Wednesday that even when the school principal learned of the shocking abuse allegations from Sabourin's wife, who had discovered photos of nude boys taken by her husband, neither the police nor the Children's Aid Society were contacted.

There's even doubt that the director of education was informed of the serious allegations.

Scott testified that in a statement given to him by the principal, she said it never dawned on her to notify police.

The good news is that since that time guidelines and laws have changed for the better when it comes to reporting suspected cases of abuse.

Nevertheless, the evidence given Wednesday shows that society's once out-of-sight, out-of-mind attitude allowed pedophiles to run wild and let down a generation of abuse victims.