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Former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache was retained by, first, the Diocese of Bathurst and then by the Archdiocese of Moncton, New Brunswick to offer financial compensation to victims of clerical sexual abuse via a “conciliation” process. The Bishop of Moncton who retained Mr. Bastarache was Valery Vienneau.
Shortly after Mr. Bastarache was retained to spear-head a similar process in the Moncton Archdiocese Bishop Vienneau was named Archbishop of Moncton.
The impetus for the Bathurst conciliation process was sex abuse allegations against Fathers Levi Noel and Charles Picot
The impetus initially for the Moncton conciliation process was presumably to reach out to the victims of Father Camille Leger. In short order it was understood that compensation could be available to all victims of clerical sexual abuse.
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Financial Woes
25 November 2017: Canadian Catholic Church may be driven to bankruptcy by sex abuse lawsuits, says priest
20 November 2o17: N.B. Catholic Church says there may be no money left to compensate sex abuse victims
16 November 2017: Catholic Church might be too broke to compensate sex abuse victims (Settlements)
15 November 2017: 56 lawsuits against Catholic Church that allege sexual abuse are before N.B. courts
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Diocese of Bathurst loses bid to recoup $3.3 million from former insurer AVIVA
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In Bathurst the names of those clerical molesters which were reported to Mr. Bastarache but were not previously in the public domain have not been released. The number of victims who received settlements through the Bastarache conciliation deal has been said by then Bishop Vealery Vienneau to be 80. According to the bishop, an additional 6 victims victims opted to sue civilly.
In Moncton the names of two clerical molesters (Fathers Yvon Arsenault and Irois Despres) who are still alive were released, but only after the victims of at least one went to police with their allegations. On 02 May 2013 the number of victims who received settlement offers through the Bastarache conciliation deal in the Moncton Archdiocese was reported as 80. The amounts paid out range from $15,000 to $300,000 per victim. It is unknown at this time (May 2013) how many victims opted to sue civilly. There has been no mention as yet of the number of clergy, dead or alive, who have been identified through the process as molesters.
The conciliation process in both dioceses has been fraught with controversy.
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10 December 2010: Former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache to John MacDonald on ‘duty to report’
09 December 2010: Michel Bastarache letter to Jean Guy Theriault
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Archdiocese of Moncton, New Brunswick
17 January 2018: Blame tough lives of priests’ victims on economy, not abuse, says church
07 April 2017: More victims of sexual abuse go after Moncton church for money
07 October 2016: Diocese of Bathurst loses $3.3M lawsuit against Aviva Insurance
16 December 2015: Archdiocese of Moncton sues the Co-operators to cover abuse claims
11 December 2015: Diocese of Moncton suing Co-Operators Insurance for $4.2M
10 December 2015: Pedophile priests: the diocese of Moncton has disbursed $ 12 million (Google translation with French text)
24 May 2014: Moncton Archdiocese sex abuse compensation process complete
03 May 2013: NB archbishop wants fair price for property sold to to pay sex abuse compensation
03 May 2013: Moncton diocese’s money woes will worsen, lawyer says
02 May 2013: Moncton Catholic diocese sells assets, cuts staff for abuse compensation
02 May 2013: Moncton diocese sells building, cuts staff to pay bills
30 April 2013: “Significant cuts in the Diocese of Moncton” & original French text
08 April 2013: Conciliation Process Ends
07 March 2013: Church abuse report delayed by more allegations
06 June 2012: Press Release (Rob Talach re Conciliation process in Archdiocese of Moncton, New Brunswick)
Undated: Sexual Assaults: Conciliation Process Announced
December 2010: Former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache to John MacDonald on ‘duty to report’
BLOGS
29 January 2013: BLOG What progress if any?
05 January 2013: BLOG Tangled web
18 June 2012: BLOG A “mystery”?
11 June 2012: BLOG Deflecting from the subject at hand
07 June 2012: BLOG “Child offender?”
04 June 2012: BLOG The victims are unwitting pawns
01 June 2012: BLOG “Rumours”
01 June 2012: BLOG “That’s about the only thing I’m proud of in my life” (Normand Brun)
30 May 2012: BLOG Long and pleasant chat
29 May 2012: BLOG Well suited and chosen
21 March 2012: BLOG Could this explain it?
08 March 2012: BLOG Not enough fingers and toes to count
MEDIA
28 January 2013: “Sex abuse report delayed in N.B. as more alleged victims come forward” & related articles
24 January 2013: “The conciliation process in Cap-Pelé widens” (google translation)
07 December 2012: Article re the Bastarache Report (Moncton) which was to be submitted on Friday 07 Dec. (English google translation and original French text)
24 August 2012: Bathurst diocese defends sex abuse conciliation in ad
11 June 2012: Victim reacts to church’s decision (CBC interview 11 June 2012)
11 June 2012: Sex abuse victim lauds church complaints process
06 June 2012: “Catholic Church: The Archdiocese of Moncton defends its conciliation process” (google translation)
29 June 2012: Priest sex abuse claimant sues Moncton diocese
15 June 2012: Appointment of new Archbishop for Moncton
15 June 2012: New archbishop named for Moncton Catholics
07 June 2012: CBC interview with Ted Schmidt (07 June 2012)
07 June 2012: Catholic church is in crisis, says expert
06 June 2012: Moncton diocese must find funds to pay abuse victims
06 June 2012: “The Archdiocese of Moncton defends its conciliation process” (google translation)
06 June 2012: Moncton diocese must find funds to pay abuse victims
06 June 2012: Priest abuse victims should avoid church payouts, says lawyer
04 June 2012: CBC TV Interview with former Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache
04 June 2012: Cap-Pelé church abuse victims can turn to ex-judge
04 June 2012: The Church reaches out to alleged victims of Father Camille Leger
04 June 2012: Cap-Pelé church abuse victims can turn to ex-judge
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Diocese of Bathurst, New Brunswick
09 December 2015: “Diocese of Bathurst wants Aviva Insurance to pay $3.3M” & related article
07 December 2015: Insurance company says Bathurst diocese knew of abuse by priests
03 December 2015: “Victims of sexual abuse by clergy opened up to Michel Bastarache” & related article
22 January 2013: Appointment of new Bishop for Bathurst
14 September 2012: Jean-Guy letter to the Editor in response to Archbishop Vienneau comments
04 September 2012: Father Wesley Wade appointed administrator of the Diocese of Bathurst, New Brunswick
04 August 2012: VIDEO Bathurst Catholic Diocese Accused of Cover-Up
03 September 2012: Bishop Valery Vienneau letter to the editor
29 November 2010: Diocese of Bathurst Press Release 29 November 2010
15 November 2010: Diocese of Bathurst Press Release re Trust Fund
02 November 2010: Bathurst Diocese Press Release: “Conciliation Process Nears Completion”
BLOGS
07 April 2011: BLOG “man of highest standards and excellent character”
07 December 2010: BLOG Something`s amiss
06 December 2010: BLOG Perhaps today?
02 December 2010: BLOG Why the silence?
02 December 2010: BLOG Hoping
30 November 2010: BLOG They`re not all financially bereft
29 November 2010: BLOG A Win/Win for the diocese
12 November 2010: BLOG Look at the tap dancing!
11 November 2012: BLOG Robbing Peter
08 November 2010: BLOG Duty to report
04 November 2010: BLOG Some thoughts
30 October 2010: BLOG Why the reluctance?
28 October 2010: BLOG What’s wrong with us?
MEDIA
14 September 2012: Jean-Guy letter to the Editor in response to Archbishop Vienneau comments
04 September 2012: Father Wesley Wade appointed administrator of the Diocese of Bathurst, New Brunswick
24 August 2012: Bathurst diocese defends sex abuse conciliation in ad
04 August 2012: VIDEO Bathurst Catholic Diocese Accused of Cover-Up
01 December 2010: Court to award sexual abuse compensation
30 November 2010: Diocese can use funds to compensate victims
29 November 2010: N.B. court opens church funds to abuse victims
16 November 2010: Compensation paid to sexual abuse victims won’t be made public
15 November 2010: Clergy sex assault deals sealed by N.B. court
15 November 2010: N.B. court seals info on clergy sex assault deals
15 November 2010: Bathurst diocese back in court
10 November 2010: New Brunswick Catholic diocese seeks to pay sex abuse victims from training fund
10 November 2010: N.B. diocese wants victims to get clergy funds
03 November 2010: “N.B. diocese to offer apology, money for abuse” and other related articles
03 November 2010: Bathurst diocese to offer victims financial settlements
02 November 2010: Sexual assault victims want their day in court
o2 November 2010: Deadline extended for Church abuse victims
01 November 2010: N.B. Church sex assault report delivered (and comments)
01 November 2010: NB church sex assault report due
27 October 2010: N.B. Catholic clergy sex assault report due soon
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Ex-judge to oversee N.B. diocese sex abuse compensation
The Toronto Sun
QMI Agency
First posted: | Updated:
A New Brunswick diocese plagued by a sexual abuse scandal has appointed a former Supreme Court justice to determine how to compensate victims.
In a statement read at parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst on the weekend, Bishop Valery Vienneau announced an independent process has begun to compensate at least 18 victims of sexual abuse by clergy.
The Acadian Peninsula diocese became the centre of controversy in October after retired Roman Catholic priest Levi Noel, 84, pleaded guilty to 18 sex-related charges involving boys between 1958 and 1981. The victims were between the ages of eight and 16 at the time of the abuse. He pleaded guilty to four additional charges in January.
Noel was sentenced to eight years in prison.
“Many victims have rightfully called for the diocese to account, and we will do so to the best of our abilities,” said Vienneau.
“To this end, the issues we seek to resolve in this process to validate victims and recognize the harm done to them, while offering them a fair compensation,” Vienneau said.
The diocese has appointed former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache to negotiate settlements.
The compensation process reflects “our determination to seek reconciliation from victims if they wish and to reaffirm our desire to see that such incidents do not reoccur in our diocese,” Vienneau told QMI Agency in an e-mail.
Bastarache currently works for a law firm in Ottawa and has asked any victims of abuse in the diocese to come forward so he can meet with them beginning in June.
“My intention is to design a process that is as fast, simple and inexpensive as possible,” Bastarache said. He hopes to have the compensation paid out to the victims before the end of the year.
The Ontario law firm representing several of Noel’s victims said the “prospect of timely and fair compensation is greatly welcomed.”
“The victims hope that this process though will not stop at compensation and will at some point also examine any institutional responsibility of the diocese for the horrific crimes which transpired in their jurisdiction for decades,” Ledroit Beckett Litigation Lawyers said in a release.
How can mgr Valery ( with a Y) Vienneau say that Bastarache route be independent, when we now know through “diocese vs Aviva insurance” that Bastarache gave to the diocese:
– victims birth date (which can be verified at church records of who was born & baptisés)
– where the abuse took place
– how long the abuse took place
– the name of pedophile priest
– the amount offerd
We are talking about, what are the chances of all victims that went through the Bastarache route, in suing the church for making them come forward under false pretence, or has being independent have a new meaning?
Baspuits
It wasn’t unlawful for Bastarache to disclose some data to the Diocese regarding plaintifs. The Diocese could not be reasonably expected to write a blank cheque to Bastarache because civil liability cannot be unlimited in New-Brunswick. And Bastarache had a legal duty to justify his legal fees to his client. The probability that victims who settled with the Diocese could now instigate a civil action for negligent and/or fraudulent misrepresentation is very low. One’s understanding of the meaning of the word /independent/ should vary contextually. The possible meanings of words generally speaking vary greatly. In the context of Canadian common law the word /independent/ has a much more smaller range of possible meanings.