Group seeks federal probe of Church abuse

Catholic Register – November 15, 2023


A new national, non-religious coalition called Outrage Canada seeks a federal investigation to hold the Catholic Church accountable both for historic and current sexual abuse crimes against children. Irene Deschenes is on Outrage Canada’s board of directors, which launched a new website (outragecanada.ca) Nov. 2. She was one of the victims of Fr. Charles Sylvestre, convicted in 2006 for sexually abusing 47 young girls between the 1950s and 1980s. Deschenes endured two years of abuse while she attended St. Ursula Catholic School in Chatham, Ont., in the early 1970s.

For parts of three decades, Deschenes has litigated against the Diocese of London after first reporting her abuse at the hands of Sylvestre in 1992, and in 1996 filing a civil suit settled in 2000. It was reopened after police reports about Sylvestre dating back to 1962 were uncovered in a diocese filing cabinet.

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Former Montreal Priest Convicted in 2019 Of Abusing Boys Facing New Charges

By Patricia Grell • September 4, 2026
The Canadian Press - September 1, 2026 Montreal, QC - Former Montreal priest Brian Boucher, who was convicted in 2019 of sexually abusing two boys and sentenced to eight years in prison, is now facing new charges related to possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material. The alleged offences occurred between April 7 and April 9, and his case has been postponed until September 8. Boucher was granted statutory release in 2024 under strict conditions, including avoiding children and his victims. Still, his release conditions were tightened in 2025 after he was reportedly seen near areas where one victim and his family were likely to be. He was formally removed from the priesthood in 2020 following his conviction and an independent inquiry that criticized the Montreal Catholic diocese for its handling of earlier complaints against him.

After Lengthy Wait, Victims of Priest Abuse in N.S. To Finally Receive Payouts

By Patricia Grell • September 2, 2026
Bishop Accountability + CBC News (Halifax) - August 27, 2026  Halifax, NS - Dozens of victims of historical sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Nova Scotia are expected to receive compensation in mid-September, nearly four years after a $10-million settlement was approved. More than 65 victims have been approved for payments ranging from about $21,800 to $303,000, but delays occurred because of the large number of claims and lengthy assessments. Some survivors criticized the process and lack of communication, while lawyers and the archdiocese say the settlement process was fair.
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