Who hammered out that sweet deal?

Perry is a political prisoner. He has spent 145 days in jail – for stepping up to the plate to protect children, and then daring to say he has lost faith in the justice system. This is the institutional response to allegations of childhood sexual abuse.

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A reminder: Perry’s 47 th birthday is 22 July 2008. Get your cards and best wishes in the mail now. Have Masses said for him. Shower him with cards, letters and best wishes. It will be a difficult day for him:

Perry Dunlop c/o OCDC
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre
2244 Innes Road
Ottawa ON
K1B 4C4

Monetary gifts can be sent to Helen or deposited at a bank. Perry needs money for his canteen supplies. As we all know only too well Perry can’t work, Helen’s on disability and money doesn’t grow on trees.

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Hearings resume at 0900 (9 am) tomorrow, Tuesday 15 July 2008. Lawyer, Roman Catholic Church canon lawyer and “alleged” paedophile Jacques Leduc will return to continue his examination in chief.

I had thought briefly of going down to the Weave Shed tomorrow to get a feel for the place with Leduc on the stand. I can’t. I am sick to my stomach watching from afar – I dare not think what would become of me were I sit in that room with the gathered throng and catch the body language, sideways glances and interaction first hand. I will stay put.

It is clear we will hear nothing – nothing! – of the sex abuse allegations against Leduc. I can’t shake the notion that at this “public” inquiry some deal has been struck behind closed doors that ensures the topic of sex abuse allegations against Leduc is verboten – and that one and all dutifully nodded their collective heads.

So we here we are, game playing. Every word this man utters now and every word he ever uttered in the past must be seen in light of the sex abuse allegations against him. That will not happen. Leduc is testifying solely in his capacity as the former lawyer and canon lawyer for the diocese.

This is unbelievable! Perhaps I am mistaken? Perhaps I misunderstood when commission counsel Karen Jones outlined her cross-examination: (1) background (2) Leduc’s involvement in the Father Gilles Deslaurier sex abuse allegations; and (3) Leduc’s involvement in the $32,000 payoff.

Nothing there about the sex abuse allegations against Leduc. Nothing!

Who hammered out that sweet deal? Who?

A reminder. Jacques Leduc is an “alleged” paedophile. He was accused of molesting young boys – for years!!

Leduc did NOT get a not guilty verdict. He did NOT even get a not guilty enough verdict. He ran for cover under the mantle of the Charter – wrapped himself in it and walked – on Perry Dunlop’s weary back.

Leduc could have hung in there couldn’t he?

No. At trial #1 this ‘good’ Roman Catholic lawyer set out to vilify and crucify Perry as soon as Perry’s name was uttered. And a trial #2 he bolted – a dash for the Charter. Gone. Free.

He could have been a man and stuck it out to prove his “innocence.” Not Leduc. Seems he wasn’t about to take that chance.

Remember this is the “alleged” paedophile who helped broker the $32,000 pay-off. He didn’t “allegedly” give a hand. He did it!

And this is the “alleged” paedophile who was legal counsel for an institution at the heart of the Cornwall sex abuse scandal – the Roman Catholic diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

And there he is, as large as life and free a bird.

What credibility does or can Leduc have? Who among the gathered throng( read lawyers) is going to try to put his feet to the fire? Is the gathered throng even allowed to put his feet to the fire? the way the majority did with the real and “alleged”victims?

I am disgusted!

For now, …..enough for now. I’ve had enough ….

Sylvia

(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)