Abuse victim told to lie at inquiry

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

Terri Saunders

Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - 10:00

Front Page - A witness at the Cornwall Public Inquiry said Tuesday he was counselled by a member of The Victims Group to lie about his contact with former city cop Perry Dunlop.

Albert Roy said he received a phone call late one night about a week ago from Steve Parisien, a member of The Victims Group expected to testify at some point during the inquiry.

Roy said Parisien offered him advice as to how he could handle questions being put to him about his contact with Dunlop.

"He (Parisien) said I didn't have to tell the truth," said Roy. "He said I could have memory lapses; that I didn't have to answer their questions."

Roy has said he spoke with Dunlop in regards to a potential civil suit related to sexual abuse Roy suffered at the hands of two probation officers in the 1970s.

As he was giving testimony on a number of occasions in November, Roy was often asked about meetings and conversations he and his wife, Vicky, may have had with Dunlop. Attorneys representing several parties expressed interest in a meeting Roy spoke of which may have consisted of several victims meeting with Dunlop and a lawyer to discuss civil litigations.

John Callaghan, an attorney representing the Cornwall Community Police Service, said Tuesday any conversation between two victims, particularly if one of them is in the process of giving evidence, should be of interest to the inquiry.

"The mandate of the inquiry is to get to the truth," said Callaghan. "If people are speaking to witnesses while they are under oath and suggesting things to them, it's relevant. It's keenly relevant in this case."

When a witness in any court proceeding takes the stand to give evidence, he or she swears to tell the truth and therefore, takes an oath. It is normal court practice for a witness to remain under oath until such time as his or her testimony is complete.

In Roy's case, his evidence lasted for several days over the course of a number of weeks and each time he left the witness stand at the end of a day, he was reminded by Comm. Normand Glaude he was under oath and compelled him not to discuss his evidence with anyone.

On Tuesday, Glaude said he was also concerned about the fact anyone would approach a witness while he or she was under oath.

"(The influencing of witnesses) goes to the very heart of what this inquiry is about," said Glaude. "It also goes to what sworn evidence is all about."

Roy said despite receiving the call from Parisien, he had no intention of changing his evidence.

"I have never, ever been influenced by anybody in all these proceedings," he said. "I was angry after the phone call. It wasn't proper for him to tell me what evidence I should or shouldn't talk about."

Following Roy's testimony Tuesday, Parisien denied Roy's recollection of the telephone conversation.

"I didn't counsel him in any way," said Parisien. "It's clear to me there has been a big misunderstanding. I don't know how it got so blown out of proportion."

Parisien admitted he did call Roy, but he said his only intention was to check on his well-being given the fact he'd been testifying for so long.

"I called him out of concern," said Parisien. "I had more empathy for him than anything else."

Roy said Parisien told him the inquiry was nothing more than a "Perry Dunlop witch hunt."

Since witnesses began giving testimony in October, each of them has been asked whether they know Dunlop, his wife Helen, and his brother-in-law Carson Chisholm.

Parisien denied having made such comments to Roy during the telephone call, but said Tuesday he did support the suggestion the inquiry has become more about Dunlop than its mandate of examining public institutional response to historical allegations of child sexual abuse.

"I think it is a witch hunt," said Parisien. "I also believe (the Ontario Provincial Police investigation) Project Truth was Project Dunlop."

Glaude said it's important for people to understand witnesses cannot talk about their evidence outside the hearings room until they're finished with their testimony.

"What we've heard are allegations," he said. "Once a witness takes the stand, it's important that conversations should be limited to matters other than testimony."