N.L. judge rules that 59 abuse victims who had their claims rejected should be compensated
CBC News - December 21, 2024
Dozens of abuse victims across Canada, whose claims for compensation were previously rejected, have won a legal victory against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John's. In a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Justice Garrett A. Handrigan determined that 59 individuals who had their claims disallowed are entitled to compensation. These claims were part of a larger settlement process that had initially approved $105 million in compensation for 367 survivors, but some claims were rejected. The archdiocese has been selling properties to fund the compensation, raising around $44 million, and is in discussions with insurers and the provincial government for additional funds.
Winnipeg Free Press - June 17, 2025 Winnipeg, MB - A Winnipeg man is suing the Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg, alleging he was repeatedly sexually abused by two priests from ages 5 to 13 in the 1960s and ’70s. The lawsuit claims over 100 assaults by Jesuit priests Harold J. Bedford and Robert L. MacDougall, both now deceased, and accuses the church of failing to protect him. He says he was silenced when he reported the abuse and witnessed other family members being assaulted. The Archdiocese has not yet responded, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
CTV News - June 16, 2025 Saskatoon, SK - A Saskatoon priest found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl will have to wait to know his fate after a judge reserved her sentencing decision for another date at Saskatoon Provincial Court Monday. The court heard sentencing arguments and victim impact statements after Ukrainian Catholic priest Janko Kolosnjaji was found guilty in February.