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	Report: 'Systemic' Failures By Greg Peerenboom Intelligencer December 16, 2009 http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2223063 Canada -- An apology to victims was only one of over 200 recommendations Commissioner Normand Glaude urged the Ontario government to adopt in an hour-long statement that closed Ontario's most expensive public inquiry yet. "Institutional responses failed to serve the interests of justice and the goal of protecting the vulnerable against abuse," he said. Glaude's long-awaited report on institutional responses to claims of sexual abuse in Cornwall and the surrounding area was handed down yesterday morning. The $56-million Cornwall Public Inquiry heard from 180 witnesses between February 2006 and January 2009 and sought to investigate allegations of abuse in Cornwall by examining the responses of the justice system and other public institutions. Glaude faulted local institutions which rely on provincial funding -- including police and the Children's Aid Society -- and the Catholic church for their poor response to allegations of sexual abuse in their midst. He said the root of the failure was "systemic" and showed that policies and procedures were inadequate. "For some, this resulted in re-victimization by the institution from whom they sought help . . . and a further source of harm." Community Safety and Corrections Minister Rick Bartolucci apologized to victims within hours of the report's release. "Ladies and gentlemen -- what happened is a tragedy," he said. "So on behalf of the people of Ontario, I sincerely apologize to those who have been affected as a result of these events -- not only the victims, not only the victims' families -- but their friends and the community." Attorney General Chris Bentley echoed the apology, and said that the government is still examining the Commission's other recommendations, though many of them have already been implemented. Bentley also committed to providing more support for the victims of sexual abuse. Glaude's report slammed several institutions for refusing to admit that they had a problem, and attempting to cover up misdeeds. He said that when administrators were confronted by employees' misconduct, covering up to avoid public humiliation was more important than dealing with victims. He said institutions feared "scandal and criticism" more than admitting they broke the public trust by hurting the vulnerable. Amid his critique, Glaude did not offer an opinion on whistle-blowing cop Perry Dunlop's claim of a local pedophile ring. Glaude clarified it was not the role of Project Truth to investigate whether a ring or clan existed -- the opposite of the public's perception. Individual sex abuses cases were probed "seriously" but the investigation was not made to verify Dunlop's and others' assertions. "This does not mean that I find there was a ring of pedophiles," he said. "It is not my role to make such a finding." With the report released, though, Ontario's political parties are now wondering why the Commission cost so much. "The central lesson of this inquiry is that institutional self-interest shouldn't take precedence over the rights of victims, which is what happened in Cornwall," Progressive Conservative MPP Bob Runciman said. "Now we need to determine why it cost more than $50 million to find that out." But New Democrat justice critic Peter Kormos said the price tag is not what's important. "When an inquiry such as this is launched, you really have no idea how long it will take or how much money it will cost. That's the reality -- plain and simple," Kormos said. "There was good reason for the inquiry as demonstrated by some of Commissioner Glaude's shocking findings. His recommendations will surely assist future investigations of a similar nature, but it's up to the McGuinty government to implement them."
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