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	Newfoundland Rcmp Investigating Alleged Abuse by P.E.I. Priest By Deer Lake The Globe and Mail June 1, 2010 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/atlantic/newfoundland-rcmp-investigating-alleged-abuse-by-pei-priest/article1588192/ Police in western Newfoundland say they plan to talk to people this week about possible abuse allegations involving a Roman Catholic priest who was removed from his post in P.E.I. Sergeant Jacques Morneau of the RCMP detachment in Deer Lake, N.L., said Tuesday that he has been contacted by two people who want to discuss Reverend George Smith. He said one person has told police he wants to talk about an abuse allegation, while the other has not indicated what he wants to discuss. “We have no official complaints yet, but there are people who want to come forward and speak,” Sgt. Morneau said. Sgt. Morneau said a third person has contacted officials with the Roman Catholic Church in Corner Brook about an abuse allegation involving Rev. Smith, but has not contacted the RCMP. Rev. Smith, who was said by the church to be out of the province and unavailable for comment, came out of retirement last year to accept a temporary posting as administrator at St. Malachy's in Kinkora, P.E.I. Sgt. Morneau said he planned on Wednesday to meet with one person who alleges he was abused by Rev. Smith in the 1970s in the Stephenville area on Newfoundland's west coast, where he served as an assistant pastor. “I'm trying to determine what allegedly happened, where and how many potential victims (there are),” Sgt. Morneau said. “Because I think ... we're going to talk about several jurisdictions and we may get our major crime unit involved.” Rev. Smith was suspended last month from his duties at St. Malachy's following an abuse allegation linked to his time in Newfoundland. Sgt. Morneau stressed that they have not received an official complaint and will decide how to proceed following the discussions this week. Bishop Richard Grecco of the Charlottetown diocese said last week that he received a call from the diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador about the allegation against Rev. Smith. Rev. Smith served in Deer Lake from 1986 to 1991 and moved to P.E.I. in 1994. Bishop Douglas Crosby, the bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador, said someone made the abuse allegation to a church committee that deals with abuse complaints. He said the committee would have advised the person that they can go to police with the information. Sgt. Morneau said he was scheduled to meet Tuesday with a church official who is on the abuse committee and may then meet with the alleged victim, who contends the incident took place in Deer Lake. In P.E.I., people in the Catholic community have expressed shock at the original allegation and Rev. Smith's removal from his post. “He was extremely well liked and he was just a good pastor,” Chancellor Eric Dunn said from Charlottetown. “People are shocked.
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