The Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, is currently selling off properties to raise $15M to settle with victims of clerical sex abuse, and, if I read the following article correctly, another $3M to have on hand in the event that there are any law suits in the future:
04 December 2010: Antigonish Diocese sells two properties
The Bathurst Diocese meanwhile ‘raised’ about $3M to compensate victims of clerical sexual abuse by raiding the seminarian Trust Fund. That $3M will presumably cover both the compensation packages brokered by Justice Bastarache for the diocese with the victims, and future settlements with other victims who have opted to sue. (Bastarache was retained by the diocese to do the job. I assume but am not certain that Bastarche’s salary will also be paid from those funds?)
And still no word about that Bastarche compensation package. The last day for victims to opt into that was 01 December 2010. Not a boo. The diocese did however issue the following press release on 29 December 2010:
Diocese of Bathurst Press Release 29 November 2010
The diocese is confident that Mr. Bastarache can be funded within the next few days allowing him to compensate the victims.
That was on the 29th. I wonder if the plan is to wait until the cheques have been issued and then make the announcement?
Perhaps the announcement is coming today?
Perhaps with the announcement we will finally get the names of ALL the priests, both dead and alive, who were identified by Bastarche as child molesters?
We shall see…
*****
I am still picking my way through files. I added a page a page for Father Desmond O’Neill. O’Neill, now deceased, was acquitted.
Note the following para:
With the jury absent, Justice Ronald Thomas ruled inadmissible the testimony of a Toronto police officer who claimed O’Neill made sexual advances toward him in the same rectory 20 years ago.
Why, I wonder, was that police officer’s testimony inadmissible? Does anyone know anything about this particular case?
Enough for now,
Sylvia
Relating to many of these news articles, I find it interesting how the amount of $$$$ needed can be estimated before a study of the individual “cases” can be made. Does this imply that, for example, “the powers that be” are saying, we have “X-amount of dollars” available, so, let the lawyers and the Church divide it up….equally” or does someone determine which victim deserves more money than the other? Or is it just, “take what you can get and shut up!!”
You see, if I was abused in the manners complained about or if any member of my family was abused, I would sue for tens of millions of dollars and I would include a multitude of “related” co-defendants who have money.
And even in a different, but related manner, at the appropriate time, if someone or if multiple plaintiffs had filed a frivolous, intimidating and malicious lawsuit against me, in an effort to silence me about “related matters” as addressed on this website, I would sue the plaintiffs for tens of millions.