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	Inquiry's Final Submissions Heard, Sessions Wrap up By Michael Peeling Standard-Freeholder February 27, 2009 http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1456317 After three years the Cornwall Public Inquiry has come to an end. But the recommendations made as a result of its healing phase (known as Phase 2) by community groups expressed a common hope the inquiry's legacy would live on in the form of permanent victim support services. Parties also expressed a desired to see a memorial to victims created and apologies issued from the perpetrators of abuse and the groups whose ignorance, actions and lack of actions allowed abuse to occur. Of the eight parties which made submissions for Phase 2 of the inquiry, two chose not to deliver them orally to Commissioner Normand Glaude - the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Upper Canada District School Board. On behalf of the Coalition for Community Renewal (CCR), lawyer Juda Strawczynski expressed the group's wish that Phase 2 efforts will continue to foster a "socially inclusive" environment in the community so that adults who were victims of abuse as children don't feel excluded from society, regardless of their social status or sexual orientation. CCR's recommendations for Phase 2 emphasized improving the protection of children as well as new legislation that would result in apologies to sexual abuse victims from the Mayor of Cornwall, the Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall, the Premier of Ontario and citizens of Cornwall. "A memorial will remind the people of Cornwall to keep up the work started by the inquiry," said Strawczynski. "There are those who were opposed to the inquiry because they believed it would reflect only the negative aspects of Cornwall, but denial of the events discussed here will not improve the image of the city. The incidents of sexual abuse explored in Phase 1 cannot be forgotten or minimized." INQUIRY'S: from the front. Coalition for Action lawyer Frank Horn felt it was especially important victims hear an admission of guilt and apology from the people who abused them. "They have to be made to say, 'We're sorry for what we did,'" Horn said. "Otherwise, victims will continue to feel ostracized until there is an admission and apology. And only then can the victims say we didn't do anything wrong." Victims Group lawyer Dallas Lee said counselling was a top priority for the victims he heard from, then urged Glaude to extend the counselling services provided by Phase 2 from 90 more days to three years, but went even further in the group's submissions. "What happens to counselling services when the inquiry leaves town is of grave concern to my clients," Lee said. "The province needs to go further to set up permanent counselling." Lee said the Men's Project, a local group which supports male victims of sexual abuse, deserves permanent funding and duplication provincewide. Men's Project representative David Bennett said the findings and recommendations in Glaude's report should address the problem of institutional response to allegations of sexual abuse across the province because it is an issue "not particular to Cornwall." However, he cautioned that the results of the inquiry won't serve as a cure-all for the ills caused by sexual abuse. "It's unrealistic to expect the Cornwall Public Inquiry can make up for all of the abuse suffered," Bennett said. "If it can help one victim, we can say it was worthwhile." Outside of the Men's Project, Bennett said there are no similar services available to male victims, while there are 39 centres for women. "It's a shame there aren't several groups asked for more counselling services," Bennett said. "The Men's Project model is something that works. The Men & Healing approach has been adopted beyond our borders." Men & Healing, a guidebook commissioned by the inquiry on theories, research and practices for working with men who have survived sexual abuse. Bennett said he was disappointed to see the Ministry of the Attorney General has been slow to implement permanent counselling services for male victims across the province while it "studies what's out there." Bennett echoed Strawczynski's idea that dealing with abuse should be treated as a public health issue, instead of a justice issue. Ministry of the Attorney General representative Darrell Kloeze said the province has, in fact, funded close to a dozen counselling services, but only as pilot programs to see what works best in different communities. Many of the submissions touched on concerns the current recession would result in many of the pieces necessary to implement recommendations made to Glaude not falling into place due to financial limitations. Cornwall Chief of Police Daniel Parkinson wanted to make part of the police service's Phase 2 submission, but was informed only a lawyer representing the service could speak on his behalf. "I regret any unfair treatment or mistakes by Cornwall police officers that badly affected anyone who was courageous enough to come forward after years of carrying the heavy burden caused by sexual abuse," Parkinson said in a statement read by lawyer John Callaghan. "The Cornwall Community Police Service has learned from the mistakes of the past and is committed make Cornwall a safer place." Glaude is expected to deliver the Cornwall Public Inquiry's final report by the end of July.
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