The Superior Court authorized a collective action on Tuesday against the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for sexual assaults that allegedly occurred in several indigenous communities from 1940 to 2018.
Judge Thomas M. Davis granted the class action request filed in March 2018 by Noëlla Mark, an Innu from the community of Unamen Shipu, in the Lower North Shore. The latter alleges that she was assaulted approximately once a week for nearly seven years by Father Alexis Joveneau, of the Missionaries Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation.
Died in 1992, the father Alexis Joveneau would have made nearly 60 known victims until now, supports Me Alain Arsenault. Mr. Joveneau practiced in the communities of Pakuashipi and Unamen Shipu. Nearly 40 religious from this congregation have been identified as alleged aggressors, including Omer Provencher, Edmond Brouillard, Raynald Couture and Édouard Meilleur.
The class action lawsuit affects all people and “their heirs […] having been sexually assaulted by any religious, member or employee ”of the religious congregation The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, can we read in the document signed by Judge Davis. The target period extends from 1er January 1940 to December 31, 2018.
To date, 200 victims from a dozen indigenous communities have come forward to lawyers. “We expect a lot more when [l’action collective] will be known and that we will be able to have more information on all the communities ”, underlines Me Arsenault.
At the time of writing, the Missionaries Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation had not responded to the interview request of Press.
“Serious anxiety problems”
Due to these assaults, Mr.me Mark argues that she suffered “severe anxiety problems, drinking problems up to the age of 30, and a loss of esteem for religion and authority in general,” the report says. document filed with the Court in 2018. The damages claimed in the context of the class action could reach up to $ 600,000 per person, details Mr.e Arsenault.
However, there are exceptions as to who is eligible for the class action, explains Mr.e Alain Arsenault. Those who were compensated in class actions concerning boarding schools and residential schools “cannot initiate a claim in another class action for the same facts,” he said.
Anyone affected by this class action can confidentially contact the Arsenault Dufresne Wee Avocats law firm at the following email address: [email protected] or by dialing (514) 527-8903.