The Diocese of London is disappointed by the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to dismiss our leave to appeal Deschenes v. Lalonde. Throughout this process, and in every case where victims of clerical abuse are brought to our attention, we believe in treating victims with the empathy and respect needed to help them receive justice and begin the healing process.
We hope the resolution of these legal proceedings helps with the healing process for Ms Deschenes. Having said that, we felt strongly that the facts of the case deserved to be presented in court. Our appeals were motivated by this belief, as well as our obligation to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
The finding in the Ontario Superior Court’s decision in 2018 (upheld by the Court of Appeal in May 2020) was that the discovery of a police report from 1962 about Charles Sylvestre could have affected the amount Ms Deschenes would have accepted in her settlement. We believe that report would not have made a material difference to the final settlement. We also note that the court held that this was an “innocent misrepresentation” on the part of the Diocese.
While there is no financial commitment that can erase the damage posed by sexual abuse, the settlement that was offered to Ms Deschenes was fair and in line with the limited case law that existed at the time.
With hindsight, we regret that Charles Sylvestre was not removed from active ministry following the 1962 police report, as he would have been today. This was a failing on our part even though the way it was handled was consistent with the way this type of behavior and its impact was historically misunderstood.
We continue to pray for the comfort and healing of all victims of clergy sexual abuse.