It’s lunch time at the Weave Shed. I’ll take this opportunity to bring you up-to-date.
The morning was essentially occupied by David Sheriff-Scott’s arguments that the diocese is beyond the scope of the mandate because it is a private organization not a public institution. He argued that the drafter of the terms of reference for the inquiry did not say or declare the inquiry to be a matter of public concern thereby presumably limiting Justice Glaude’ authority, governments must clearly delineate the terms of reference for an inquiry to safeguard individual rights, and the commissioner does not have the authority to assume jurisdiction as he goes nor to investigate the diocese as if it were a public institution.
Sheriff-Scott took a brief time-out to swipe at the controversial Ledroit Beckett affidavit discussed so ably yesterday by Dallas Lee. And he evoked a chuckle from Glaude with the suggestion that the weight which should be placed on the affidavit is “Little or none.”
There was little reference to Father Morrissey – perhaps after lunch?
Meanwhile, some thoughts:
1. Why not bring this legal quibbling to an end and summons the Attorney General’s lawyer to explain the wording and intent of the mandate?
2. If Justice Glaude decides the diocese is a public institution would he simultaneously set some sort of legal precedent subjecting the teachings and internal governance of the Church to government control? and if yes, would this mean that Church officials upholding the teachings of the Church regarding such things as homosexuality, women’s ordination and abortion could be charged for presumably violating the Charter, or for presumably inciting hatred against an identifiable group?
3. With their endless talk of rights why do lawyers and judges never ever think or talk of a child’s Charter right to “security of the person” and his right “not to be deprived thereof” ? And why do lawyers and judges never ever think of a male sex abuse victim’s right not to be subjected to “any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment”?
And that’s enough for now,
Sylvia