Settlements end $100M class action lawsuit by alleged Manitoulin Island abuse survivors
A $100 million class action lawsuit launched on behalf of alleged victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy on Manitoulin Island has been abandoned after the victims reached individual settlements with the church.
All of the 29 alleged victims are from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and attended Holy Cross Mission, run by the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada.
The suit was launched in 2015 and named several defendants, including the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, the Estate of Father George Epoch and the Estate of Brother O’Meare.
"The action was brought on behalf of all persons who were abused as children by clergy or staff of the Holy Cross Mission in Wiikwemkoong (and) all parents, spouses, children and siblings of the abused persons," court documents said.
Two alleged victims – one of Father George Epoch and the other of Brother O’Meare – filed the suit and were joined by others.
O’Meare committed the sex abuse when he worked in Wiikwemkoong between 1950 and 1960, while Epoch’s crimes took place when he worked there from 1959 to 1963, 1969 to 1971 and 1983 to 1986 the suit alleges.
A third member of the clergy – a "Brother Hinton" – was also named as someone who abused children from 1963 until 1970. His whereabouts – and whether he is still alive – is unknown, the court documents said.
Indigenous crisis support: Where to find help
Four years after the class action was launched, officials approached lawyers for the Jesuits.
"Chief Duke Peltier and senior policy analyst Sandra Wabegijig of the Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation approached the counsel for the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada and asked that the legal process be resolved by an informal process," the court documents said.
The goal was to find a process that would still be fair but wouldn’t "re-traumatize" the alleged victims.
"Discussions followed with the Merchant Law Group with the leaders of the Wiikwemkoong community, and a consensus emerged that there should be a more informal process," the transcript said.
"It was agreed that compensation would be negotiated in accordance with the awards made in the federal Day School Settlement, which was a class action similar to the Indian Residential Schools Class Action."
All 29 people have since settled their claims, but "the terms of the individual settlements were not disclosed to this court," the transcript said.
"The counsel fee or costs awards were not disclosed to this court."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent right to your inbox
However, the class action suit was still technically ongoing and lawyers for the alleged victims had to get court approval to end it.
In his ruling, the judge in the case said it was frustrating not to know the details of the individual settlements. That information would help him ensure the alleged victims are not giving up any rights by ending the class action suit.
"It may be that the negotiated settlements and the fees are reasonable and in the best interests of the putative class members who settled, but I cannot conclude that based on the information proffered on this discontinuance motion," he wrote.
However, considering none of the plaintiffs in the case are pursuing legal action at this point, the judge ruled it would be "futile."
"There are no representative plaintiffs willing to represent the putative class members who have not settled, and, in any event, the defendants could have the proposed class action mandatorily dismissed for delay," the judge wrote.
In agreeing to discontinue the suit, the judge said that all members of the lawsuit should be sent a copy of his ruling. If they have questions, they should get independent legal advice.
Read the full decision here.
Resources for sexual assault survivors in Canada
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.
A full list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling can be found at ReeseCommunity.com. Resources in your community can be found by entering your postal code.
Helplines, legal services and locations that offer sexual assault kits in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia can be found here.
National Residential School Crisis Line: +1 866 925 4419
24-hour crisis line: 416 597 8808
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010
Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
Sexual misconduct support for current or former members of the Armed Forces: +1 844 750 1648
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.