Settlement Reached In Priest Sex-Abuse Lawsuit

Bishop Accountability - July 7, 2026


Winnipeg, AL - A Winnipeg man in his mid-40s has settled a lawsuit alleging that he was sexually abused by two Catholic priests when he was 10 or 11 years old in 1990–91. The alleged abuse occurred while he was a student at St. Jean Baptiste Elementary School and a member of the local Catholic church. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, involved the Archdiocese of St. Boniface, the Red River Valley School Division and the estate of priest Léo Couture. The other priest, René Touchette, had previously been convicted of sexual offences in the 1990s and died in 2012. The settlement details have not been released, and none of the defendants admitted liability. The case was scheduled for trial in November 2027, but those proceedings will now be cancelled because of the settlement.


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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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