A priest and his power: Consent and the doomed rape case against a residential school principal

Bishop Accountability - August 6, 2025


Williams Lake, BC - Bishop Hubert O’Connor was one of the first Catholic clergy in Canada charged with sexual offences committed at a residential school. In the 1990s, he faced trial for rapes and indecent assaults at St. Joseph’s Indian Residential School in B.C., where he had been principal in the 1960s. The case centered on whether young Indigenous students and staff could genuinely consent to sexual advances from a respected religious authority.


O’Connor was initially found guilty of raping a former teenage student and one count of indecent assault, but was acquitted of other charges. The B.C. Court of Appeal later overturned parts of the ruling, citing that consent under the law at the time did not automatically account for power imbalances. Despite the controversy, Crown prosecutors stayed remaining charges after a restorative justice healing circle in 1998, where survivors addressed how his actions affected their lives.

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$30M settlement reached in class-action over alleged abuse at 2 Metro Vancouver Catholic schools

By Patricia Grell • March 10, 2026
CBC - March 9, 2026 Vancouver, BC - A proposed $30 million settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit brought by former students of Vancouver College and St. Thomas More Collegiate who allege physical and sexual abuse by members of the Christian Brothers. The settlement, which requires approval from the B.C. Supreme Court, applies to students who attended the schools between 1976 and 2013, depending on the school.  If approved, survivors could apply for compensation through a two-tier claims process, with payments of up to $30,000 or more for severe impacts. The settlement includes the schools and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver, but not individual alleged abusers. A court hearing is scheduled for April 30 and May 1.

Brampton priest charged with sexual assault, removed from ministry

By Patricia Grell • January 9, 2026
Bishop Accountability - December 23, 2025 Brampton, ON - A Catholic priest in Brampton, Ont., has been charged with sexual offences and removed from the ministry, the Archdiocese of Toronto says. It says the man is accused of one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference, an offence that applies when the victim is under 16 years old. It says the decision to remove the man from the pastoral ministry was made in accordance with its protocols and procedures relating to allegations of misconduct.
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