The Superior Court of Quebec has authorized a class action targeting all sexual crimes perpetrated since 1940 by persons placed under the responsibility of the Diocese of Quebec. The appeal, unprecedented in its scope, could concern thousands of victims.
In a 14-page decision, Judge Bernard Godbout gives the green light to the application filed in 2020 on behalf of Gaétan Bégin and Pierre Bolduc. The two claim to have suffered repeated sexual abuse from two priests of their parish in the 1950s and 1960s. The first would have endured the abuse between the ages of 14 and 17, the second from the age of 12.
The action asks that the diocese be held responsible for the criminal acts committed by anyone who was under its authority, whether these people were priests, employees or volunteers, nuns or lay people. The territory of the diocese, whose borders have evolved over the decades, mainly covers today the regions of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches.
The class action also authorizes the heirs and assigns of the victims to claim compensation on their behalf. Currently, 88 people have expressed their intention to join the action.
“It’s clear to me that there are hundreds and hundreds of victims who will be added,” says lawyer Alain Arsenault, who is leading the case with former minister Marc Bellemare. In 1960, there were 1000 priests in the Quebec diocese. Usually, we know that 10% were pedophiles and that some have had up to 120 victims. We also know that for every victim who denounces, there are nine who do not denounce. I’m only talking about 1960: imagine if we add up all the years since 1940.
The lawyer, whose firm defends several class actions brought against religious congregations, sees a strong symbolic value in the one brought against the diocese of Quebec, founded in 1674 by Bishop François de Laval.
“It is the first Catholic diocese established not only in Quebec, just in Canada or in North America, but in all of America, recalls Me Arsenault. It is an important institution, which will also be the subject of a visit by Pope Francis this summer. »
A “culture of silence”
The Superior Court authorizes Gaétan Bégin and Pierre Bolduc to act as representatives of the class action. According to the appeal, they accuse the diocese of having favored a “culture of silence” to camouflage the reprehensible acts allegedly perpetrated by its employees.
According to Mr. Arsenault, the management of the abuse allegedly endured by Mr. Bégin supports this claim. “The village doctor learned that he was the victim of sexual assault committed by the priest. He informed his father, who went to meet the chancellors at the time to advise them that one of their priests was molesting a child. Episcopal authorities removed the priest for a one-year rest period. Afterwards, continues the lawyer, they placed him in the neighboring parish, where he assaulted other children. »
Now that the action has been approved by the Superior Court, the registration period continues until the start of the trial. “If everything works well, that is to say that if there are no secondary disputes in profusion as we see in certain collective actions, we estimate that in two years, it can be settled”, underlines Me Arsenault.
The Diocese of Quebec reacted to the decision on Friday afternoon: “At this stage, the Archdiocese of Quebec has no particular comments to make, but we reiterate our desire to collaborate with the prosecutors within the framework of this file. »