Six decades later, local victim of notorious predatory priest gets some justice — and peace
SooToday - September 10, 2024
The earliest known victim of Father Robert Whyte, who taught at St. Mary's College in the 1950s, has settled a lawsuit against the Catholic order that operated the school. Now in his late-70s, the man hopes to help others by sharing his story of abuse and healing.
About 10 years ago — decades after the abuse — Phil found out about the criminal trial and Whyte's 2014 death through an internet search. Two years ago, he began pursuing a civil case against the Basilian Fathers of Toronto.
CBC - April 16, 2026 Halifax, NS - Timothy Clark reported sexual abuse by a priest in 1984 but says the church ignored him. Decades later, his claim was approved under a class-action settlement against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, yet he and more than 60 other accepted claimants have still not been paid. Delays are blamed on claim reviews, interviews, and late submissions, leaving many victims frustrated by poor communication and the lengthy process.
Journalist plans to create new archive of residential school survivor stories — before it's too late
CBC - April 14, 2026 A new project from award-winning journalist Connie Walker aims to create an archive of testimonies of abuse at residential schools before the accounts are destroyed in September 2027. The project at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where she is the Velma Rogers Research Chair in the School of Journalism, aims to preserve residential school survivors' stories and raise awareness about the upcoming destruction of Independent Assessment Process (IAP) records. The files are being retained until 2027 to give survivors a chance to request a copy, opt-in to having the file preserved by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, or both.